Wetherspoon founder urges sector to back Reform’s pub tax overhaul

The founder of Wetherspoon has urged other hospitality industry bosses to throw their support behind Reform UK’s policies for the pub sector, including plans to slash beer tax.

Sir Tim Martin, chairman of JD Wetherspoon, said the proposed changes would help the sector move towards “tax parity with supermarkets”.

The Nigel Farage-led party announced a series of proposals aimed at support the ailing sector last week.

These included a pledge to cut VAT in the hospitality sector by 10%, cut beer duty by 10%, reverse the recent rise in employers’ national insurance contributions (NICs) for the sector and a gradual removal of business rates for all pubs.

Reform has said it would fund this package with around £3 billion, with plans to secure this through reinstating the two-child benefit cap.

Sir Tim told investors and industry leaders in a lengthy stock exchange filing on Monday that “there’s no question that this initiative would utterly transform the competitiveness of pubs”.

He said: “By eliminating the tax differential between supermarkets and the hospitality industry, and restoring margins to devastated businesses, these changes would enable pubs to regain some, or all, of their lost trade.

“You would think that this offer from Reform would have been greeted by a crescendo of enthusiasm, ecstasy and support from the licensed trade and its supporters.

“However, surprisingly, initial support has been underwhelming, at least from the great and the good in the hospitality industry.”

The calls come weeks after the Government announced additional business rates support for the sector, after warnings that rates changes announced in November’s autumn budget would lead to closures.

Pubs and live music venues in England will benefit from 15% off their business rates bills from April, the Government announced last month.

It said this would be the equivalent of an £80 million boost for the sector annually over the next three years.