When one of our most feted restaurateurs says the new tourist tax will prevent him expanding here, it should give the Government pause.
asserted
it → say → pause
Simon Rogan holds nine Michelin stars across his restaurants, from the three-starred L’Enclume to Aulis in Soho to further outlets in the UK, Thailand, Hong Kong and Malta.
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Rogan → hold → UK
“We’re under huge pressure,” Rogan said.
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Rogan → ’re → pressure
“When you think you can’t get any worse, here comes along the tourist tax.
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tax → think → ?
It’s just another tax to add to the customer’s bill.
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It → ’ → bill
It’s just one thing after another and it’s just like being strangled.”
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it → ’ → another
Sir Rocco Forte, who chairs the luxury hotels group that owns Brown’s Hotel in Mayfair, said: “It’s really a disgrace.
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It → chair → Mayfair
They talk about growth, and all they do is attack business.
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they → talk → business
At the other end of the spectrum, JD Wetherspoon founder Sir Tim Martin said the levy was bound to drive up costs across the sector.
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levy → say → sector
His pub group contains 56 hotels.
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group → contain → hotels
The irony is that the hospitality trade was campaigning for a VAT cut — 800 restaurateurs, hoteliers and hospitality groups had signed an open letter to the Government pleading for a reduction — as this new measure was presented.
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measure → campaign → reduction
The trade body UKHospitality was pushing for VAT to be halved from 20 per cent to 10 per cent.
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VAT → push → cent
Angela Rayner, the Secretary for Housing, Communities and Local Government, brought the new tax to Parliament.
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Rayner → bring → Parliament
The tourist charge is likely to become operational in early 2028.
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charge → become → 2028
There will be no limit on how much councils impose and how they spend the amount they collect.
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they → impose → amount
Research from the Tax Policy Associates think tank estimates a tourist tax in England would bring in £600m a year.
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tax → estimate → 600
It may raise revenue but there is a downside to consider: the same Tax Policy Associates study predicts six million fewer overnight stays and a £700m drop in tourism spending, with most of that money heading abroad or to locations which choose not to adopt the tax (it will be up to individual councils if they decide to add the tax).
uncertain
they → raise → tax
UKHospitality reckons an extra five per cent in England will result in 33,000 job losses and an overall £2bn hit to the economy, this when the Government is facing a crisis with one million Neets not in education, employment or training.
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Government → reckon → education
In London, the Mayor, Lord Khan of Tooting, is backing the tax.
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Mayor → back → tax
He’s promised to consult the industry before he decides how it should be implemented but says the fee needs to happen “sooner rather than later”.
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fee → promise → industry
In London, where hotel prices can be hefty, that could lead to substantial increases.
uncertain
that → lead → increases
UKHospitality calculates that an average family would face a £99 increase on a four-night visit.
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family → calculate → visit
An opinion poll conducted in London found the imposition of the tax would deter visitors from coming to the capital.
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imposition → conduct → capital
Two-thirds of recent tourists said they would be put off.
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they → say → tourists
Three-fifths said they would shorten their stays, find a cheaper room or not make the trip at all.
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they → say → trip
The polling, by Stack Data Strategy, was on behalf of London Heritage Quarter, a business group representing enterprises in central London.
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polling → represent → London
They spoke to 1,005 adults from 10 different countries who had visited London in the previous 12 months.
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who → speak → months
Read More
Mayor Khan wants it because he desires the income it will provide.
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it → read → income
The move plays heavily to Andy Burnham’s desire for greater devolution, for elected mayors to have greater tax-raising powers.
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mayors → play → powers
Said the London Mayor: “A well-designed, modest levy has the potential to provide an important additional source of funding to support growth, strengthen London’s offer to visitors and help us remain globally competitive.
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us → say → visitors
It would allow us to reinvest in the places, infrastructure, culture and experiences that make London one of the world’s greatest cities to visit, while helping manage the pressures that come with welcoming tens of millions of visitors every year.”
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that → allow → visitors
It has its proponents, not just Khan.
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It → have → proponents
The director of the British Museum, Nicholas Cullinan, has said the tax could help make the difference between the museum remaining free or having to charge.
uncertain
museum → say → difference
Councils are starved of funding, so it is natural they should be in favour.
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they → starve → favour
It is what they do with it that matters.
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that → do → it
Cullinan clearly would like to see some of it directed towards his museum.
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some → like → museum
Khan speaks about using it to strengthen London’s offer to visitors and to reinvest in the things that make the city such a great place to visit.
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city → speak → things
But he also talks of supporting growth and managing the pressures that tens of millions of tourists a year bring.
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millions → talk → tourists
That could cover a multitude of items.
uncertain
That → cover → items
Khan has joined with the majority of his fellow Labour metro mayors and Rayner in insisting that the income can be used to boost tourism, to make locations more attractive.
asserted
locations → join → tourism
…and 19 more, not listed.
The Aporia
