The UK Chancellor’s vat and dining out price cuts package announced on Wednesday, July 8, have been described by the Managing Director of Hastings Hotels, the biggest hotel group in the North, as the perfect post-lockdown boost to the staycation industry.
“The move to reduce tourism and hospitality Vat, combined with plans to give people a 50% discount to eat out in August, could not have come at a better time for an industry that needed an injection of confidence,” said Howard Hastings.
“We have long complained that our Vat rate at 20% was inequitable compared to the South. The decision to reduce it to 5% until January means that we can now offer even more incentives to people to travel to the north for their holidays.
“We will have new lower accommodation rates on our website tomorrow and all our food menus will be repriced to reflect the Vat changes.
“We will be participating fully in the Eat Out To Help Out scheme which will see a 50% reduction, up to £10 per head, on sit-down meals and non-alcoholic drinks from Mondays to Wednesdays in August.
“The combination of both of these moves will be welcome news to people looking to book staycations who may not have considered the North previously.”
Voted Ireland’s best luxury hotel group for the past two years, The Hastings Collection has seven hotels, including the five-star Culloden Estate and Spa, the world-famous Europa Hotel, the four-star Stormont Hotel and Northern Ireland’s largest new hotel, The Grand Central Hotel – all situated in Belfast.
Outside Belfast, the magnificent Slieve Donard Resort and Spa is situated adjacent to the world-famous Royal County Down Golf course in Newcastle Co Down.
The Group also owns the four-star Everglades Hotel in Derry, and the historic Ballygally Castle set on the stunning Antrim coast at the gateway to the nine Glens of Antrim, a short drive from the Giant’s Causeway and world-famous Games of Thrones Tour.
