Seasonal Hospitality Businesses in Coastal Areas
Debate between Adam Dance and Joe Robertson(1 week, 3 days ago)
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Joe Robertson
I absolutely agree with the hon. Gentleman, who is ahead of me: I will address the issue of business rates and VAT presently.
There are plenty of green shoots, however, in many of the communities, and brilliant local leaders trying to drive change, such as Lawrence Bates at the Wildheart Animal Sanctuary in Sandown, and Ian Boyd, founder of the Common Space. Start-ups and small businesses in hospitality are a major driver of regeneration and innovation, for example the Point in Bembridge, Braai in Brading, and the Sandown Boulevard street food market. But the Government have a role in creating an environment for hospitality to thrive.
Adam Dance (Yeovil) (LD)
The hon. Member talks about the hospitality sector thriving. Does he share my concern that if the Government introduced a tourism tax, our areas could really suffer?
Joe Robertson
I agree with the hon. Gentleman, who is also ahead of me: I will address the tourism tax in my speech.
As I say, the Government have a role in creating an environment for seasonal hospitality to thrive, but in my view this Government have done the opposite. I do not accuse the Government of setting out to make life harder for tourism and hospitality in coastal areas, but I do hold them responsible for being careless about how their policies, in particular taxation, have fallen on communities such as mine. It is time for the Government to recognise that and make amends.