Tom and I catch up after his first weekend of a two week birthday celebration, spent at a farmhouse retreat and spa in Suffolk, and get into the surprisingly calm reception to the new Prime Minister and Cabinet reshuffle. Also in this episode:

• The case for a VAT cut for hospitality, including the Tax Policy Associates' critique of the campaign, how the UK's VAT base compares to Ireland and the rest of Europe, and why business rates reform looks like the more politically palatable option
• What a VAT cut would actually let Tom invest in, from overdue toilet renovations to paying suppliers and improving the guest experience
• Plans for our budget breakdown briefing event with William Stanley & Co and Alison, running the morning after the Budget lands this time round
• Why hospitality remains a vital part of society even as AI and automation reshape other parts of life
• The rise of paddle, and why its tech-led, membership-free model is bringing in a new crowd

This episode is sponsored by Monotree, the employee comms platform for multi-site teams who know email and WhatsApp aren't building culture or productivity. It's fast and intuitive, like your favourite messaging app, from inside your very own branded team app. And the numbers back it up: 4.2 daily opens and over 75% daily activity, with a rating above 4.9 stars. For multi-site employee comms, Monotree is my only recommendation. Check them out https://monotree.com/

In this episode we catch up after Travis's first time punting in Cambridge, at a punt and dine event for Only A Pavement Away, and get into why more hospitality businesses still aren't taking a chance on people the charity puts forward. Also in this episode:

• Tom's walk ins only strategy for the England World Cup match at the Carlton Tavern, and how it compared to a normal Sunday
• Turtle Bay's declining sales and thin margins, and why niche cuisine brands have struggled to break into the UK market the way pizza and burgers have
• The pressure ops teams are under in P&L reviews, and why so much of it comes down to structural issues rather than execution on the ground
• Tom's recent wins on energy and gas procurement through Rye Utilities
• New additions to the Ops Club tools page, including the Percy pricing checker and a business rates relief checker from Paddle - check them out at ops-club.com/tools

This episode is sponsored by Monotree the employee comms platform for multi-site teams who know email and WhatsApp aren't building culture or productivity. It's fast and intuitive, like your favourite messaging app, from inside your very own branded team app. And the numbers back it up: 4.2 daily opens and over 75% daily activity, with a rating above 4.9 stars. For multi-site employee comms, Monotree is my only recommendation, check them out: https://monotree.com/

In this episode we catch up after Tom's trip hiking and river floating in Switzerland. Also in this episode:

• The emergency licensing changes for England's World Cup matches
• Why Tom's pubs have moved to walk ins only for match days
• What the World Cup actually means for pub trade
• The political mood around hospitality and the bank holiday talk
• Whether a VAT cut is the one thing that would actually help

This episode is sponsored by Monotree - the employee comms platform for multi-site teams who know email and WhatsApp aren't building culture or productivity. It's fast and intuitive, like your favourite messaging app, from inside your very own branded team app. And the numbers back it up: 4.2 daily opens and over 75% daily activity, with a rating above 4.9 stars. For multi-site employee comms, Monotree is my only recommendation. Check them out: https://monotree.com/