MP Vikki Slade has urged the government to act on the pressures facing hospitality businesses after a new Liberal Democrat policy motion was passed at the party’s conference in Bournemouth.
The ‘Backing Hospitality for Growth and Jobs’ motion calls for small and medium hospitality employers to be exempt from increases in National Insurance and for a lower rate band to be introduced on contributions for part-time staff.
Speaking after the vote, Vikki Slade said pubs, restaurants and cafés are “absolutely vital in Mid Dorset and North Poole, breathing life into our high streets and town centres.” She added that many are struggling with rising costs, staff shortages, and the long-term impact of the pandemic.
She has held meetings with employers in Wimborne and ran a hospitality event at the Liberal Democrat conference to hear directly from businesses. She said her own experience as a former café owner has given her insight into how difficult the sector has become.
The new policy is designed to ease the pressure on hospitality businesses and to recognise the contribution they make to both the economy and community life.
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