Nine Out of Ten MPs Favourable Towards the Hospitality Sector Research Reveals

A survey of MPs has found that they are overwhelmingly favourable towards the hospitality sector, piling pressure on the Chancellor ahead of the Budget, the British Beer and Pub Association said.

The survey, conducted by leading market research firm Ipsos, found that 96% of Conservative MPs surveyed and 86% of Labour MPs surveyed were favourable towards hospitality, and not a single MP held unfavourable opinions of the sector.

The British Beer and Pub Association said the solid, widespread appreciation underscored why the Chancellor must use this once in a generation Budget to reset the crushing rates and regulations that all too often lead to pub closures.

Emma McClarkin, CEO of the British Beer and Pub Association, said: “When MPs from across the political divide are united in their recognition of the hospitality sector, it should be clear to the Chancellor that the correct thing to do at the Budget is to back pubs.

“MPs know how much pubs matter to their constituents and communities, and we hope this further underlines the almost universal support of the pub.

“This Budget is a once in a generation opportunity to undo years of crushing fiscal pressures and reset rates and regulations which currently punish the pub and, therefore, jobs and communities.

“This Budget must deliver meaningful business rates reform at pace, cut beer duty, mitigate soaring employment costs, and review the chaotic and unfair packaging tax. Doing this will mean pubs can grow from strength to strength and, with them, so will the economy, job market, and communities.”

Ed Whitehead, Corporate Reputation Advisory Director at Ipsos, said: “We’ve been surveying MPs for forty years, and it’s extremely rare to see such high levels of favourability towards a sector. MPs tell us that a that a company’s impact within their constituency is the primary reason they would speak highly of an organisation, so these findings suggest a widespread appreciation for the role that hospitality plays in communities across the UK.”

With just over a month to go before the Budget, the British Beer and Pub Association said Government has five weeks to save 5,000 jobs.

The  trade association said, as one of the most highly taxed sectors in the UK, the pub sector needs business rates reform. The continued squeeze on costs and margins and the end of business rates relief will mean over 2,000 pubs are at risk of closure next year – equivalent to a loss of over 12,000 jobs and 6 closures a day.

However, if Government grants the maximum 20p discount in the Budget, this could save approximately 800 pubs and saving more than 5,400 at-risk vital jobs.