Portsmouth hospitality businesses in parliament demanding more help

Portsmouth hospitality businesses were in parliament with city MPs to lobby the government for support to boost business.

MPs Stephen Morgan and Amanda Martin hosted representatives from the city’s hospitality sector for a roundtable discussion with government hospitality chiefs, giving local businesses the opportunity to raise the challenges facing the industry directly with government.

The meeting brought together a range of over 20 hospitality businesses from across Portsmouth, who highlighted the vital role the sector plays in supporting jobs, communities, tourism and the local economy.

During the discussion, businesses made three clear calls to government. These were for a reduction in VAT and taxation for hospitality businesses, bringing the UK closer in line with European counterparts.

The second was for reform of the business rates system to better reflect the pressures faced by hospitality venues.

They also called for action to address the rising costs of food, utilities, and employment, which continue to place significant strain on businesses across the sector.

Hospitality leaders spoke candidly about the increasing pressure on independent businesses and warned that without light at the end of the tunnel, many venues face an uncertain future despite continued customer demand.

Stephen Morgan MP said: “Portsmouth’s pubs, restaurants and wider hospitality sector play a valuable role in our city’s communities, providing places for people to socialise, creating jobs and contributing to our local economy.

“The sector has faced real and longstanding challenges for some time, which is why I’ve been taking action to support and protect our city’s small and independent businesses.

“It was helpful to bring business owners from across our community together in Parliament to meet with the Minister responsible for hospitality to hear directly local challenges and set out solutions.

“I will continue to take action to ensure Portsmouth’s voice is heard and to bring much-needed certainty and targeted support to our city’s hospitality industry”.

Amanda Martin MP said: “Portsmouth’s hospitality businesses are at the heart of our local economy and community life. From pubs and cafés to restaurants and independent venues, they create jobs, bring people together and make our city vibrant.

“It was really important to me that our local businesses had the opportunity to speak directly to the minister about the challenges they are facing and what they need to help continue thriving.”

The roundtable follows recent government announcements aimed at supporting pubs and high streets, including a 15% reduction in business rates bills for pubs from April this year, a two-year freeze on bills, further licensing flexibilities and a wider High Streets Strategy to support retail, leisure, and hospitality businesses.

The MPs said they would continue working with businesses and ministers to ensure Portsmouth’s hospitality sector receives the support it needs to grow and succeed.

They pledged to write to ministers in a number of government departments to highlight the challenges facing those who attended across government departments, inviting the minister to Portsmouth to see the diverse quality of local hospitality business and convening a regular forum for local hospitality businesses to meet and lobby the MPs directly.