Pasty tax U-turn

Chancellor George Osborne has announced a u-turn on his controversial plan to impose VAT on the Cornish pasty. After the amendment, food such as sausage rolls or pasties will not be liable for VAT as long as they are cooling down naturally on shelf, rather than being kept hot in a special cabinet. In his March Budget speech, Osborne said he was closing a loophole which meant that VAT is charged on some hot takeaway food such as fish and chips while most was zero-rated. He announced that VAT would be charged at 20% on any food sold at above-ambient temperature, except for freshly baked bread.

MSYS village winner

A village forecourt has won a national community award for its 39 years of service to its customers, with Newark MP Patrick Mercer dropping in to make the presentation. Rampton Service Station in Nottinghamshire is the only store in a 10-mile radius and provides hundreds of older and less mobile residents in the surrounding villages with their only place to shop. A lifeline for local people who can’t make the trip to the nearest supermarket, the store has gradually grown since owners Linda and Richard Sheppard started in 1973 with just four items on the shelves. They are currently preparing to celebrate 40 years of service to the community by doubling the size of the shop and adding a tea table for customers to sit and catch up with village activities.

BP ’food-to-go’ award

BP won the ’Best convenience retailer for the food-to-go mission award’, at last month’s annual CTP Awards organised by shopper research specialist Him, held at the Tate Modern, London.Now in its 10th year, the CTP awards are the only industry awards where convenience shoppers and staff are the judges.