Budget 2021: What do Gloucestershire pub owners want from the Chancellor?
We've been speaking to landlords ahead of today's budget announcement
Pub landlords in the Gloucestershire are calling for clarity, targeted and continued support ahead of the Chancellor's Budget announcement today.
Rishi Sunak faces a difficult balancing act when he sets out his Budget today - dealing with the black hole in the public finances while also supporting families and businesses hit hard by coronavirus.
Many areas of the economy are looked at during the spring budget with things like corporation tax, the furlough scheme and jobs some of the hot topics in today's announcement.
But what support do businesses in the Gloucestershire want to see to help them ease out of lockdown restrictions following a gruelling year?
Emma Gibbon, The Plough at Prestbury , Cheltenham
"The extension of VAT cuts is pivotal. We haven't had the chance to make the most of that because we've been closed, then open and then closed again.
"Although the bounce back loans have been really, really helpful there is the pressure that we have to start paying them back pretty soon.
"At the moment we haven't had the chance to be open to begin getting revenue to pay them back. So I think extra grants would be helpful to help tie us over until we can fully re-open.
"Extra money to help cover staffing costs would also be really helpful. We think we'll be pretty busy when we re-open outside in April but we need extra staff to cover the table service which is obviously just an extra cost".
Mike Huysinga, The Royal, The Strand and Exmouth Arms, Cheltenham
"The furlough scheme is primarily the most important, followed by the VAT cutes and the the reduction is business rates - which needed to come down anyway in my eyes.
"It would be good if the VAT cuts could be extended to alcohol sales too. Pubs are the heart of the community and there are pubs out there where their sales are 80-90% alcohol-based so for those pubs it will be incredibly helpful.
"Extra grants over loans would be helpful. There's still a lot of VAT owned from the first quarter of last year, and also PAYE and national insurance especially as many of us don't have much income coming in".