Jamie Oliver is the latest to warn the Chancellor that a tax raid on venues runs the risk of ‘stubbing out’ the British food sector.

The celebrity chef warned that ‘confidence and creativity die’ under high Government taxes and called for ‘urgent’ reform of VAT to help ease the burden on firms.

There has been a huge backlash after increases to business rates were revealed last year - prompting the Chancellor to offer respite to pub and music venues on the property tax.

But other parts of the hospitality sector - including restaurants, hotels and cafes - will miss out on the 15 per cent discount amid fears that many more will go to the wall and axe jobs in the coming months.

In an opinion piece for The London Standard, Oliver wrote: ‘Seasoned operators are leaving the industry, family businesses are folding and the next generation of talent is looking at the financial hurdles and deciding it simply isn’t worth the fight.

‘When the Government chips away at margins until there’s nothing left but a smouldering wick, confidence and creativity die.’

He implored Rachel Reeves to ‘to take a moment to review the data’ and to ‘admit that things aren’t working, to pivot and adjust the strategy.’

HIs remarks come just weeks after fellow celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay warned the hospitality industry is ‘facing a bloodbath’ because of the ‘catastrophic’ tax hikes.

Ramsay described restaurants, pubs and other venues as ‘lambs to the slaughter’ following the Budget and said he had ‘never seen it so bad’.

Oliver also warned that Britain's presence on the world stage for food innovation is at risk.

He said it 'breaks my heart' that the country is 'now in real danger of losing it all.'

'Our culinary creativity is being slowly extinguished and the Government isn’t just letting it happen — they’re the ones stubbing it out,’ he added.

He said: ‘She needs to ask herself: is this the Britain we want? A country where every high street is identical, dominated by corporate logos and delivery-only warehouses?’

Oliver is best-known for his television series, including The Naked Chef and Jamie's School Dinners, as well as his best-selling book Eat Yourself Healthy.

He relaunched his restaurant chain, Jamie's Italian, last year after it collapsed in May 2019, as well as opening a cookery school with John Lewis.

His comments echo those from a group of publicans who have said they will continue to ban Labour MPs from their venues amid calls for lower taxes on the sector.

There have been pleas for the UK’s 20 VAT rate on hospitality to be reduced so it is in line with other European countries - such as Ireland which is going down to aa 9pc rat from July for food venues.

‘That gap alone shows how much harder it is for UK restaurants to invest, grow and create jobs,’ Oliver added.

He said: ‘My plea is simple: give the industry room to breathe.’

He called for ‘urgent VAT reform to bring us in line with our European neighbours; a business rates overhaul that values physical community spaces and a bonfire of red tape so small businesses can actually flourish.’