VAT, ICO Rants & Why Hospitality Is Getting Hammered — Ep 57

Описание: Costs are rising. Margins are shrinking. And it feels like another bill lands every week.

Charlie kicks this one off with a proper rant about rising ICO fees (which gets awkward fast). But underneath the humour is something real — the cumulative pressure small businesses are feeling.

Matt shares what it’s like watching a £500k VAT payment leave the account — and why “it’s not your money” doesn’t make it feel any better.

Then the conversation turns bigger.

Ireland is cutting hospitality VAT to 9%. The UK is still at 20%.

With labour costs climbing, energy high and business rates biting — are we squeezing one of the country’s biggest youth employers into the ground?

They break down:
📊 Why VAT feels invisible to consumers but painful to founders
☕ What’s really happening to pubs, coffee shops and restaurants
👥 Why hospitality matters for young people and future entrepreneurs
💷 Whether VAT thresholds should be scrapped or dramatically raised
🔥 Why small policy shifts can change everything on the ground

No scripts. No spin. Just two business owners reacting to what’s actually happening right now.

Follow Matt:
📸 Instagram -   / mrmattholland  
👨‍💻 LinkedIn -   / mrmattholland  
📱 TikTok -   / mrmattholland  
❌ X - https://x.com/mrmattholland1

Follow Charlie:
📸 Instagram -   / theworkwearexpert  
👨‍💻 LinkedIn -   / charlie-smith-1a55295b