Wednesday 8th July, 4 days after English hospitality was allowed to reopen after lockdown the latest help for the hospitality industry and its staff announced.
Regular readers of BarLifeUK will know our feelings about the entitled fuck ferrets who ‘run’ our country.
However, there is one shining light in the mass of suit laden faeces that line the left-hand side of parliament, Rishi Sunak. Since the beginning he is the only one to come across with any understanding of what the country is going through and his financial assistance has been significantly better for the hospitality industry than in most countries.
Until today. Today that mask slipped.
There have been a lot of rumours flying around the last couple of days about a VAT reduction for the hospitality and tourism industries. The good news is there is going to be one, the bad news is it is only for food not for drinks.
VAT on food, accommodation and attractions will be reduced to 5% for 6 months (July 15th – January 12th). Not drink.
They have also launched a new scheme that they seem extremely happy about – The Eat Out to Help Out scheme. Basically on Monday – Wednesday for the entirety of August people will be able to get 50% off their meal in any participating restaurants up to £10 per person. He hinted that this system will see the customer paying the full amount and then claiming back the discount, but more details will be coming soon. UPDATE: The documents have no been released and it will be up to the venue to claim back the discounted money, no doubt an easy and quick process.
Incidentally when this particular part was announced Johnson sat there with the smug, pleased with himself look of someone who had just successfully executed a surprise birthday party for a friend. Albeit one that hates surprises, had their birthday 3 months ago, has a heart condition and isn’t his friend. It isn’t a game you win by being surprising you fucking moron.
There was also news on furlough. This will not be extended beyond October as people had been asking for, but he did offer this stick attached carrot.
Businesses will be paid £1,000 per employee brought back from furlough if they are continued to be employed to January and earning a minimum of £520 a month until January. Therefore, encouraging companies to find a way to return furloughed workers into the fold rather than taking the ‘easy’ redundancy option.
There was also news about young help for young people getting back into work which we will cover in a separate article because quite frankly it was confusing as hell.
So great news for those serving food and undoubtably a genuine help but for those wet led venues this is undoubtably a big blow. He did say this is the latest help package not the last so I guess it is a matter of continuing to push and make noise but, in short, fuck.