The British Institute of Innkeeping (BII) has today written to the Prime Minister and the Chancellor, urging them to invest in the vibrant and vital pub sector to ensure that it can be at the heart of the economic recovery.
The letter, which comes ahead of this week’s autumn statement, calls on the Government to recognise the fragility of pubs, but also the opportunity they represent for growth and employment for the country going forward.
CEO of the BII, Steve Alton (pictured) commented, “Times have never been tougher for our members and the wider hospitality industry, but the resilience they have shown over the past 3 years has demonstrated the immense appetite for the experience that they deliver, one that cannot be replicated anywhere else.
“Whilst they face huge challenges with rising energy costs and double-digit inflation across all areas of their businesses, they also have the power to be a key part of the economic recovery, providing thousands of jobs and career opportunities like no other sector can.
“With the right investment in these small businesses at the heart of their communities in every village, town and city, they can be a driving force for employment and rapid career growth, levelling up every area of the UK.
“They have been recognised as a unique and critical part of our communities and our economy by Government throughout the pandemic, and they now need the breathing space to be allowed to begin their own recovery, to the benefit of the entire nation.”