The FoBC is the voice of the country’s Bangladeshi restaurateurs and takeaway owners. The ACF represents a community of 23,000 pan-Asian establishments.
ACF members are primarily Chinese in origin, but encompasses pan-Asian establishments, including Indian, Thai, Malaysian and Japanese. There are 5,000 Chinese eat-in and a further 10,000 takeaways in the UK. There are also over 8,000 south and southeast Asian establishments in the UK. The combined totals number some 35,000.
The FoBC has been petitioning the UK government on a host of issues, from immigration, skills shortages, education and unemployment, since it was founded in 2008.
FoBC chairman Yawar Khan first raised the VAT issue with Chancellor George Osborne at a meeting in February 2012, highlighting how the Bangladeshi community, many of whom run small businesses, were being damaged by the recession and rise in VAT.
“Restaurant customers don’t always realise that the chancellor is taking a huge slice every time they settle their bill,” said Khan. “Apart from the £10 VAT on every £50, restaurateurs are paying National Insurance, corporation and income tax on any profit that’s left, not to mention local council rates and excise duty.”
To support its campaign, the FoBC has posted a petition online in the hope that restaurant owners, their staff, suppliers and customers will help achieve the target of 100,000 signatories required to spark a debate on the floor of the House of Commons.
© FoodBev Media Ltd 2024