A Dover businessman has told GB News pubs are “praying for a Christmas miracle” in the face of plummeting sales and skyrocketing taxes.
Marc Bridgen, who owns The Dog in Wingham, raged against Labour on the People’s Channel after Rachel Reeves announced the British treasure will endure upcoming tax hikes.
A number of pub landlords have come out to criticise the Government for increasing business taxes, warning of “dire consequences” if the levies are enforced in the new year.
“We’re seeing a festive uplift, but it’s nowhere near where it should be,” Mr Bridgen told GB News, explaining the effects he has felt on his business.
He continued: “We’re going to have a busier week or two, but because the public are under such pressure financially and feeling so gloomy because the way the nation is at the moment, the confidence is lacking.
“Everyday it’s just not quite as busy as we’re used to over the previous nine Christmases.”
Mr Bridgen added that they still have a room for sale for Christmas, despite claiming to never have had a room for sale “this late in the day”.
He said: “Because of the Government, our guests and the public are under pressure and our revenues are struggling. But then, you know, putting that aside, we are just being taxed into oblivion.”
The changes to business rates in addition to increasing the minimum wage without moving income tax thresholds has dragged hordes of Britons into paying higher taxes.
More than 1.7 million people are set to pay more income tax due to the continued freeze, which will push workers into higher tax bands as wages rise.
Ms Reeves admitted the policy would impact “working people” despite Labour’s previous persistent pledges to protect them, saying she was “asking everyone to make a contribution”.
Speaking about the increase in pay, Mr Bridgen said: “I believe in minimum wage, but it going up four years in a row, more than inflation.
Mr Bridgen owns The Dog in Wingham
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“It just it doesn’t you know, this is not helping the working people. We have less hours for our working people. We have less jobs.
“If in the new year, by chance, you know, we might have one or two people leaving and I doubt we’ll replace them now.
“We started off by saying that pubs are praying for a Christmas miracle. Actually, I think a lot of businesses are playing. Businesses are praying for a Christmas miracle.”
If given two Christmas wishes, the pubowner would reverse changes to National Insurance, as well as the changes being made to VAT.
“That’s the measure that would make the huge difference,” he told GB News. “It worked before. They we know the Government can do it. They can reduce VAT, the hospitality.
“It will put some margin in what we’re doing. It will well for our business. It will cut the losses.”
The Treasury has claimed that the Government is protecting pubs, restaurants and cafes with the Budget’s £4.3billion support package.
A spokesman said: “Without this support, pubs would face a 45 per cent increase in the total bills they pay next year. Because of the support we’ve put in place, we’ve got that down to four per cent.”
Asked what he would respond to the Government’s statement, Mr Bridgen was left exasperated.
“I just haven’t got a clue. Honestly, the Government, they are killing pubs, you know, we see it.
“They are closing every day. I fear it’s going to be a bloodbath for pubs in January, February and March.”