FEA calls on government for direct financial support for foodservice equipment suppliers
Cancel rates, cover rents, defer VAT and extend furlough scheme to ensure business viability
Just before Christmas FEA wrote an open letter to the Prime Minister calling for extra help for the foodservice supply chain. The letter cites the implementation of increasing Covid-19 measures is “adding significantly to the pressure on the foodservice equipment supply chain, because hospitality operator outlets have been forced to close.”
The letter, which was signed by FEA chief executive Keith Warren, calls for targeted, immediate and continued support for the foodservice equipment sector. It points out that FEA members are wholly dependent on the operator sector for their business and that any recovery is unlikely to be evident until Q3 2021.
For businesses wholly or significantly dependent on hospitality operators, FEA calls for direct financial support to cover the following costs until 30th September 2021.
- Business Rates – to be cancelled through Council subsidy.
- Rents – contracted rental costs to be covered by Government grants.
- VAT – deferral to ease business cash flow.
- Furlough Scheme – extension to prevent the loss of experience, knowledge and skilled jobs.
“Announcement of such support will give security to foodservice equipment supply companies, and will ensure business viability and long term sustainability,” says Warren. “In return for this investment our sector will be able to ensure that it is well positioned to be able to respond to the needs of the operator sector when the recovery inevitably commences, hopefully in Q3/Q4 2021.
The Full Text of the letter
The Rt. Hon. Boris Johnson MP
Prime Minister
Office of the Prime Minister
10 Downing Street
London
SW1A 2AA 23rd December 2020
Dear Prime Minister,
We are grateful to your Government for responding to the requests for support that we have made during 2020.
The Covid-19 measures are adding significantly to the pressure on the foodservice equipment supply chain, because hospitality operator outlets have been forced to close.
To that end we call for targeted, immediate and continued support for the sector on behalf of our 194 members who supply 80% of new equipment sold into hospitality and who also design install and service equipment. Our members are wholly dependent on the operator sector for their business. Any recovery is unlikely to be evident until Q3 2021.
For businesses wholly or significantly dependent on hospitality operators, we call for direct financial support to cover the following costs until 30th September 2021.
- Business Rates – to be cancelled through Council subsidy.
- Rents – contracted rental costs to be covered by Government grants.
- VAT – deferral to ease business cash flow.
- Furlough Scheme – extension to prevent the loss of experience, knowledge and skilled jobs.
Announcement of such support will give security and peace of mind to foodservice equipment supply companies and will ensure business viability and long-term sustainability.
In return for this investment our sector will be able to ensure that it is well positioned to be able to respond to the needs of the operator sector when the recovery inevitably commences, hopefully in Q3/Q4 2021.
Keith Warren C.F.S.P.
Chief Executive,