Tommy Banks joins Tom Kerridge's VAT's The Problem hospitality campaign

One of Yorkshire’s most acclaimed chefs has urged people to back Tom Kerridge’s campaign to get VAT for hospitality reduced to 10 per cent.

Tommy Banks, who runs the Michelin-starred Black Swan in Oldstead and the Abbey Inn in Byland, said: “Now is the time we need to see change.”

Mr Kerridge, who has won multiple Michelin stars and frequently appears on TV, recently launched the VAT’s The Problem campaign.

It is calling on the Government to cut the VAT rate for hospitality from 20 per cent to 10 per cent, which would put the UK in line with the rest of Europe.

Currently, British pubs, bars and restaurants pay the highest rate of tax in the continent.

“Our sector is under huge pressure. We know it. We live and breathe it every day,” Mr Kerridge said.

“We know that the key to unleashing hospitality’s potential to grow and thrive into the future comes through a VAT cut. We’re making sure Government knows that too, and we need your help.

“We’ve launched a petition, and we’re aiming to get a million signatures supporting a VAT cut to 10 per cent for hospitality. Now is the time for hospitality to galvanise behind this campaign.”

Now, Mr Banks has got behind the campaign. He said: “I’ve been very vocal over the last few months about the plight of hospitality, and I think that’s really important because as we know we’ve lost thousands of businesses over the last 18 months and that’s led to hundreds of thousands of job losses.”

He said people often ask him how they can support the hospitality industry, so he urged them to sign Mr Kerridge’s campaign.

“Please support the campaign - get it out there as much as possible - now is the time we need to see change,” he added.

“We need VAT reform for hospitality in line with the rest of Europe, so we can save businesses and create more jobs.”

Last week, a temporary VAT cut came into force to reduce prices at family attractions such as zoos and theme parks as well as the cost of children’s cinema tickets and restaurant meals.

This is in place over the course of the summer, to help with family holidays.

Meanwhile, yesterday Sir Keir Starmer invited hospitality businesses, including McDonald’s and Nando’s, into Downing Street to discuss youth jobs.

He said: “We’re announcing a £3,000 incentive to businesses to take young people who’ve been out of work for six months and give them a job, on this strong belief that I’ve got, which is if we are able to get people into work, then most of them will actually hold down the job.”