Petition Using VAT rates and Licensing Rules to boost business, increase employment and reduce anti social behaviour

Please consider these three proposals :-

1. Reduce vat on food sales in restaurants, cafes and pubs.

2. Increase vat on "off sales" (retail sales) of alcohol.

If geared correctly the second measure can finance the first.

As cooking and serving food is more labour intensive than retailing alcohol the measures would support SMEs and increase employment in the catering industry.

These measures may also slow or stop pub closures thereby benefitting communities and tourism.

By encouraging pubs to sell more food we may move closer towards the European “cafe culture” that was an original aim of licensing reform.

3. Increase the minimum age for "off sales" to 21 (leaving “on sales” at 18).

Thereby ensuring young people learn to drink and socialise in a supervised adult environment.

Combined - more expensive off sales and the already higher costs in pubs etc. should discourage binge drinking by young people leading to further savings for our economy.