Live coverage of chancellor Jeremy Hunt’s Budget speech and, just as importantly, the brewing and hospitality industry’s reaction to it.
Conor Shaw, chief executive of workforce management specialist Bizimply, says: “Hospitality operators will welcome the measures announced in the Budget aimed at encouraging older workers back into employment. However, if they want to entice these experienced workers back into the workforce, they will need to meet them halfway and support the work/life balance that many older workers are looking for.
“When we surveyed our hospitality customers in January, 30% said they do not expect front-of-house recruitment problems to improve this year, rising to 60% who do not expect kitchen recruitment problems to improve this year. That’s a brake on growth which is holding hospitality back.
“While there are plenty of older people with hospitality experience who could help fill those vacancies, it’s not as simple as ‘getting the over-50s off the golf course’, as the Chancellor put it earlier this year. Older workers will feel that their decades spent in the workplace have earned them the right to enjoy some leisure time, but equally many of them are likely to have a range of commitments, not least of which can be helping their own children to work by providing childcare or school runs for grandchildren.
“Of course, employers need to know that they have enough staff available at the times they need them, but those who have robust workforce management systems in place to give staff maximum notice of shifts, and enable employees to flag up their other commitments, will be best placed to attract experienced staff back into the workplace.”
There will be full capital expensing, at least for the next three years, which will cost £9bn. This will help brewers to update spec and brew using the most sustainable equipment.
Twelve Enterprise Zones will get a total of £80bn to help to deliver levelling up.
The Chancellor has confirmed that draught beer duty will be lower than the duty for beer sold in supermarkets from 1st August. The difference will amount to 11%.
It has been made possible because of Brexit, he says. It is the “Brexit pubs guarantee!.
“British beer is warm, but the duty on a pint is frozen,” says Mr Hunt.
He adds that this will contribute to the fight against inflation, which is projected to go down to 2.9% by the end of the year.
A freeze in fuel duty should help brewers, too.
To set the scene, here’s a Tweet from UKHospitality earlier…
