Just another day in the Farm Stay Office - Furnished Holiday Letting Rule Changes
Posted on Wed., June 3, 6:30 AM
Looking after the interests of our 750 B&B, 550 self-caterings, campsites, caravan sites, bunk barns and hostels is not just about publicity, marketing, websites and advertising. A serious part of my role is to hold government to task over proposed legislation and rule changes. last week I attended a meeting in London at the British Hospitality Association Offices (BHA) along with colleagues from the Tourism Alliance, CLA, Historic Houses Association and others to discuss the Furnished Holiday Letting rule changes (FHL). This was slipped onto page 111 of the Budget, which never made the Chancellor's Speech and didn't even get spotted at DCMS or DEFRA.
This goes to reinforce with how little regard the tourism industry is treated in the UK - despite being the 5th biggest industry with a turnover of around £114 billion per year. Probably because it is not a vote winner or PR story! As a football fan, the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport found himself a ticket to Wembley for the FA Cup Final, no doubt paid for by us the tax payer in the name of political relations; however, I wonder if he will stop to consider the financial benefits to tourism, the bars and restaurants selling extra food and drink, the extra fees on the transport system, the benefit to local coach companies and all of those hotel nights.
And yet they throw another tax into the system at small rural micro-tourism businesses like ours. Not only do they say that self-catering is not a trade, they want to tax us for the privilege of not being a trade. Our members use local staff, cook with home grown or locally sourced produce and are fundamental to the future of the rural economy in the UK. We have recently had two members win Silver Awards in the England for Excellence awards for self-catering and Access for All. Tell them they are a not a trade.
We don't want to be fighting the government at every turn for legislation they implement. We want to be respected enough to be considered in the consultation and help lead the way. As we say at Farm Stay - Wake Up to the Country!
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