The Sticky Beak Blog doesn't normally get involved in political campaigns.
Our focus has always been simple: supporting the restaurants, pubs, cafés, hotels and hospitality businesses that work tirelessly to provide great food, memorable experiences and employment opportunities across our region.
However, sometimes an issue comes along that directly affects the future of the industry we spend every day championing.
The VAT's The Problem campaign is one of those issues.
Launching nationally on 1 July, the campaign is calling on the Government to reduce VAT for hospitality businesses from 20% to 10%.
At first glance, tax policy might not seem like the sort of thing we would normally write about. But after speaking to hospitality operators over many years, one message comes through time and time again: the cost of running a hospitality business has never been higher.
Food costs have increased dramatically. Energy prices remain a major concern. Staffing costs continue to rise. Business rates remain a burden for many operators. Yet despite all of this, hospitality businesses continue to invest in their teams, their premises and the experiences they provide for customers.
The reality is that hospitality is one of the UK's most important industries. It employs millions of people, creates opportunities for young people entering the workplace, supports local suppliers and helps keep our town and city centres vibrant.
Here at The Sticky Beak Blog we have visited and reviewed hundreds of venues across Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire and South Yorkshire. We have celebrated openings, shared success stories and highlighted the incredible talent that exists within our local hospitality sector.
We've also seen first-hand the challenges many businesses face behind the scenes.
The VAT's The Problem campaign has already attracted significant support from hospitality businesses across the country, as well as chef and restaurateur Tom Kerridge. At the time of writing, almost 200,000 people have signed the campaign petition, reflecting growing concern about the pressures facing the sector.
Will a reduction in VAT solve every challenge hospitality faces? Probably not.
But we believe the campaign raises an important conversation about how the industry is taxed and how best to support a sector that contributes so much to local communities and the wider economy.
For that reason, The Sticky Beak Blog is happy to help raise awareness of the campaign and the issues it highlights.
Whether you're a hospitality professional, a regular customer or simply someone who values thriving local pubs, restaurants, cafés and hotels, we would encourage you to learn more about the campaign and decide for yourself.
Further information can be found at www.vatstheproblem.co.uk.
Hospitality has given us some of our favourite meals, celebrations, weekends away and memories over the years.
If the businesses that create those experiences are saying they need help, perhaps it's time we listened.
