Gordon Ramsay fears ‘blood bathtub’ over Rachel Reeves’ ‘catastrophic’ tax raids | Celebrity News | Showbiz & TV | EUROtoday

Gordon Ramsay has warned that the hospitality trade is dealing with a “blood bath” following the Chancellor’s tax hikes, which he fears will make hospitality companies “lambs to the slaughter”. The 59-year-old, who operates greater than 30 eating places throughout the nation, stated he is “never seen it so bad” following Rachel Reeves’ Budget. The father-of-four claimed eateries had been closing every day as a result of rising enterprise charges.

He advised the Standard: “The industry is facing a bloodbath. I’ve never seen it so bad. When I look ahead to April, when the Budget measures come in, I think those of us in hospitality are lambs to the slaughter. Restaurants are already closing every other day. It devastates me because it seems no one in power is thinking ahead and considering where we’ll be in five years. We’re being suffocated.

“What’s taking place to pubs is insanity: there was already one shutting daily earlier than these proposed rises in enterprise charges and taxes. They’re being crippled.”

Ramsay said the current situation is even worse than after the 2008 financial crisis, as businesses are recovering from the Coronavirus pandemic, during which many restaurants had to close as part of government-ordered lockdowns.

He added: “With this enterprise charge storm brewing, it may be catastrophic.”

The chef also said he’d “misplaced confidence” in the Government, highlighting the issues with inheritance tax for farmers.

His comments came after Reeves insisted her plans to ease the burden of business rates facing pubs would not extend to other firms.

The move was met with a wave of criticism from businesses, including hotels and restaurants, that face increasing tax bills in April.

Reeves told the World Economic Forum, in Davos, Switzerland, that her planned support package wouldn’t cover the “wider hospitality sector”.

Chief Executive of the British Independent Retailers Association, Andrew Goodacre, said in a statement: “All excessive road companies are dealing with important will increase of their charges legal responsibility.

“If this Government is genuinely interested in supporting high streets, it would not see only one part of the high streets as important.”