Business

Hospitality Ulster and Retail NI urge support for new 'enabling tax' at special Westminster event

Pictured at the Retail NI Westminster reception are, from left, Glyn Roberts, chief executive of Retail NI; Owen Smith MP, Shadow Secretary of State for Northern Ireland; Nigel Dodds, deputy leader DUP; and Colin Neill, chief executive of Hospitality Ulster
Pictured at the Retail NI Westminster reception are, from left, Glyn Roberts, chief executive of Retail NI; Owen Smith MP, Shadow Secretary of State for Northern Ireland; Nigel Dodds, deputy leader DUP; and Colin Neill, chief executive of Hospitality Ulst Pictured at the Retail NI Westminster reception are, from left, Glyn Roberts, chief executive of Retail NI; Owen Smith MP, Shadow Secretary of State for Northern Ireland; Nigel Dodds, deputy leader DUP; and Colin Neill, chief executive of Hospitality Ulster

RADICAL changes to hospitality/tourism VAT and business rates are needed to stimulate growth in the Northern Ireland economy, a gathering in Westminster gathering has heard.

The event, hosted by Hospitality Ulster and Retail NI, was addressed by Shadow Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Owen Smith and attended by more than 50 MPs, Lords and business leaders across the north.

Both organisations urged MPs and peers to support the creation of an 'enabling tax' and a regulatory framework to boost the local economy and to back the joint Belfast and Derry bid for the title of European City of Culture.

Hospitality Ulster chief executive Colin Neill and his Retail NI counterpart Glyn Roberts, in a joint statement, said the reception was "all about selling and promoting Northern Ireland plc".

They said: "Both our organisation represent two of Northern Ireland’s largest sectors and we have a shared aim of making Northern Ireland the very best place in these islands to locate and start a business and to shop and socialise.

"We want to see radical changes to hospitality/tourism VATand business rates, investment in our infrastructure, particularly in our rural towns, and world-class skills and training to secure the future of our economy.

"Our preference will always be for local devolved ministers to take these key decisions and we repeat our call for the local political parties to secure agreement and restore the Executive."

They stressed that, despite the political situation, there was a recognition of the "fantastic potential" of the Northern Ireland economy.

Other topics discussed included "a need to change the conversation" on Brexit by placing greater emphasis on solutions to stimulate growth and working to avoid a 'hard border' .

"Retail NI and Hospitality Ulster are strong supporters for Belfast and Derry to get City Deals and to secure the title of European City of Culture," they added.

"To secure both of these would be a game-changer, not just for our two main cities, but also potentially for our wider NI economy."