VAT
To paraphrase Basil Fawlty, don't mention the (Algerian) War. That's a fairly good rule of thumb when engaging in kitchen banter with our chef. He's a Frenchman and holds some pretty strident views on certain matters. During quiet times, he's always got Le Monde open on the worktop.
Today he pointed out an ad in the newspaper placed by the French government. They've introduced a massive VAT cut for bars and restaurants: on July 1st, the rate was slashed from 19.6% to just 5.5%. Prices are falling across the board, as the benefits are passed on to consumers. That's got to boost trade, creating jobs and shoring up businesses that give people a place people to eat, drink and make merry, as opposed to sitting at home watching telly (have you seen French television?).
For me, this puts the debate about Britain's excessive alcohol duties into perspective. A targeted VAT cut on the French model would benefit the licensed trade far more, without leading to any suggestion that the authorities are failing to tackle this country's supposed "binge drinking" problem.
This is the first serious post I've written for some time. I haven't had a drink in three days. The two things are indubitably connected. That does it. I'm hitting the pop hard today.
13 comments:
Don't hold your breath Jeff.
I won't. It interrupts the drinking. Good for getting rid of boozy hiccups, though.
Didn't you lot already get a VAT cut a while ago?
I feel our government are a little hampered by the Daily Wail when it comes to the alcohol industry. Whatever they do that dickhead D'Arcy gets on his horse (if you read this D'Arcy, please sue me for calling you names - I'm sure my colleagues in the biz will back me up).
Beer Nut, yes we did, but we got a bigger duty rise to balance.
But you're still up on the food, right, and that's where pubs make their money*.
*From the book of "Things People Keep Saying But I've Never Cared Enough To Find Out If They're True".
Beer Nut, good to see someone who writes about beer who makes some effort to understand the realities of the pub industry. It doesn't happen often (if ever).
Yes, you're right: the idea that pubs print money via food sales is tosh. The staff cost of providing good food coupled with most people's lack of understanding of what good, freshly made food should cost means your actual profit is squeezed considerably. If you want to employ a real chef, you have to pay out for him/her. If you want him to prepare the food from scratch, you have to give him/her time to do so. If you want to use good ingredients, they don't come cheap (what I buy for the kitchen here costs much more, not less, than what I was accustomed to spending on my own personal supplies in civilian life, and I like to think I've always eaten well).
And even in fairly foodie pubs like this one, dry sales are swamped by wet. I don't think there are many genuinely "dry-led" pubs in this country, yet even people in the industry use the term to describe anywhere that employs a chef and chalks up a proper menu. Ultimately, you make your money on booze, and in most pubs beer is the biggest seller. That's why beer tax is such a massive issue.
Jeff young man I think you underestimate the extent of "dry-led" pubs in the countryside, the urban fringes and snottier parts of old London Town. They have become something of a pest, but from what I have seen a lucrative pest. I even know one pub where they won't sell you a Pork Pie cos they didn't make it, well they didn't brew the Landlord on the premises either but still serve it.. ;-)
In terms of a french style VAT cut, ain't happening now under my lot and ain't happening under your mates so best forget you ever though of it.
Maybe we need some more provenance at the Gunmakers. I'd love to see some chickens running around the front bar and a pig wallowing around in the toilet. Even better if I knew it was being cared for and would ultimately end up on my plate.
Hmm, I am bored today. I just re-read what I have written and it doesn't make much sense. I can vouch that the food at the pub is very good and I have no qualms paying a bit extra for proper food rather than microwaved JDW filth.
I agree Tim, my one experience of food from Jeff's place was fine.
Loveleeds said: "Jeff young man I think you underestimate the extent of "dry-led" pubs in the countryside, the urban fringes and snottier parts of old London Town".
Depends what we mean by "dry led". I doubt there are many pubs that get more than 50% of their revenue from food sales - even places that grumblers would describe as more like a restaurant than a pub. On the other hand, you could argue that a pub can be "dry-led" even with a 60/40 wet/dry split, as although revenue from booze is higher, those customers have only come to eat in the first place.
[I appreciate this is all very boring for the beer geek readers. Good.]
What I mean Jeff is places that look like pubs on the outside but are clearly set up as food places on the inside and their whole attitude to customers is to put occasional diners over regular drinkers. They may fit into your 50/50 definition, some might not because the high cost of wine to go with the high cost of food (subjective definition) alters the balance (but they clearly don't do 50% beer and spirits). Three examples below (no direct criticism of the establisbments named simply pointing out their style)
http://www.thisissurreytoday.co.uk/eatingout/Italian-welcome-Enzo-Baldascino-King-William-IV-Ewell/article-995892-detail/article.html used to be http://www.beerintheevening.com/pubs/s/82/820/King_William_IV/Ewell_Village , is now advertised as "The Italian Pub". Another example is http://www.bell-inn.co.uk/ in Eseex, where 90% of the pub is denied to drinkers only regardless of level of food custom and non diners get a maximum of one table inside or this one from close to my mothers http://www.restaurant-guide.com/oak-tree-inn-the.htm , the only pub in the village, small amount of space and yet 80% of it reserved for passing diners.
(to be fair to the 3 above their are also numerious examples of Food pubs, happy horses, Eatery style etc which are vastly inferior places but i avoid them like the plague)
The problem is in all these examples that they keep the privilages and trappings of a pub, need the drinkers when times are rough but as soon as the eating out critc calls they want to a restaurant and "aclaimed". Personally I would have a rule that states unless 51% of your time, effort and space is allocated to social drinking you have to be classified as a restaurant and should be licensed accordingly (narrow hours, narrow range, no outside drinking etc).
Not a hobby horse of mine, simply an observation.
I can only agree wholeheartedly with Jeff. Doing good quality food is incredibly man hour hungry*. Good quality kitchen staff are hard to come by.
I do wish people would stop this "when is a pub a restaurant?" rubbish.
*sorry, pun not intended.
The country is bankrupt. It's taken this labour government longer than previous ones to bankrupt the country, but that’s only because they are new labour. There are no tax cuts on the horizon. Call me Dave has no chance of cutting taxes, whatever he says. As for when is a pub a pub and not a restaurant. It is whatever you want it to be. Why accept the definitions of others? Your own definition is likely to be the best.
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