THE director of the Scottish Hospitality Group has said there is still time for the chancellor to ‘do the right thing’ before April and reverse the proposed National Insurance Contributions rise.
Responding to the government’s Spring Statement this week, Stephen Montgomery, who lives in Annan, said: “This statement does absolutely nothing to support the hospitality sector in Scotland or across the UK.
“In fact, the Chancellor did not even mention the hospitality industry once in her statement despite speaking for more than half an hour.
“The reality is hospitality businesses up and down the country are facing a tax bombshell next week of nearly £3.5B, and the Chancellor of the Exchequer’s statement has done nothing to allay the danger of job losses and closures across the nation’s pubs, hotels, and restaurants.
“The hospitality sector is increasingly losing confidence in the Chancellor – it will only be regained if she finally listens, acts and helps the hospitality industry to grow and thrive. Our door remains open for talks, and the Chancellor can still do the right thing, and reverse the NIC rise ahead of the April cliff edge.”
Stephen owns the Our Place restaurant in Annan and previously was a landlord in Dumfries and Lockerbie.
DISAPPIONTED . . . Stephen Montgomery
