Hospitality firms owe £2.8 million in VAT

A total of 79 hospitality and entertainment firms have owed £2.8 million in VAT for more than three months.

That's according to Treasury Minister Chris Thomas, who gave the figure in response to a Tynwald question for written reply.

It asked how many of the Island's 458 VAT-registered hospitality businesses were more than three months behind on their VAT returns.

Mr Thomas also gave figures for the business sector at the end of June, including hotels - where 72 businesses had VAT debts older than three months, totalling nearly £2.4 million.