Hospitality Ulster Expresses Disappointment at NI Water Rates Hike

23 March 2018

Hospitality Ulster Expresses Disappointment at NI Water Rates Hike

Hospitality Ulster Chief Executive Colin Neill has said the latest rate increase by NI Water is the latest in a series of hikes to hit NI’s Hospitality Sector and has expressed disappointment.

"From April 1 the Hospitality Sector in Northern Ireland will be forced to pay an extra 3.35% for water and sewerage charges.

The hospitality industry uses a high volume of water and this increase places an additional burden on our already heavily taxed hospitality sector and adds to costs for publicans, restaurateurs and hoteliers across the province.

This latest increase must be taken in the context of a rise earlier this month of 1.5% in business rates for Northern Ireland.

Northern Ireland Water talk about the rise in costs for them as an organisation. This is the reality that our members have to deal with on a daily basis and it isn’t good enough for NI Water to use this as an excuse to pass on an increase to businesses, they should be doing more to balance their own costs and find efficiencies.

The hospitality sector is working for Northern Ireland and continues to grow. That’s despite the lack of decision making due to the collapse of the Assembly.

It is not good enough for our members to be hit with bad news and cost rises continually and it is a situation that cannot continue."