What is the NTIA’s Culture Calling Campaign?
The NTIA’s culture calling campaign is attempting to rally people ahead of the November 22nd vote. They’ve said in a statement:
“We are calling on the government to reduce vat to 12.5% for the hospitality and cultural sectors in the upcoming budget on November 22nd. And we need your help!”
Watch the video for further information…
Why we need to help leisure and hospitality venues?
The sector is suffering – to those in the industry, this is not a shock. It has been suffering for some time. With over 13,000 businesses lost since March 2020, and thousands more are now on the verge of collapse, millions of jobs are at risk.
For too long, the Government have failed and forgotten the leisure and hospitality sector. In this time of crisis, the NTIA and NDML are calling for support on behalf of the industry.
What are the biggest challenges faced by the hospitality and leisure sector?
According to Barclays, the most impactful challenges facing hospitality and leisure businesses are:
- Rising Energy prices – the promise of investment in longer term solutions have caused and extra cost short term. Can venues afford the immediate shortfall in cash in the effort of sustainability, when many venues are already on the brink?
- Changing consumer behaviour – identifying where the consumer landscape is moving toward, and having the flexibility to adapt businesses is essential to staying relevant. Many hospitality venues need not only rely upon tradition and an aging culture. Technological advancement such as cashless payments also need to be adopted.
- Staff shortages – a challenge for some time. Initiatives, apprenticeship schemes, recruitment drives available in hospitality and leisure are yet to have impact.
These challenges faced by venues are among the reasons why support from the government is desperately required. Taking away obstacles, or lessening challenges, such as by reducing VAT to 12.5%, will inevitably benefit venues and help stop closures.
The financial success and stability of leisure and hospitality venues is so important to the UK’s culture and the look of the UK’s highstreets.
At NDML, we know that venues need support and we’ve made it our mission to help them. Any and all people who can petition their MP in time for the upcoming vote on November 22nd will be making a difference.