All of our cities are at risk this Christmas as they wrestle with Covid uncertainty again
Boris Johnson has now confirmed our fears: Plan B will be brought in, and with it, more mask rules, Covid passports and work from home advice. It will undoubtedly have a monumental impact on businesses that rely on high footfall in city centres.
December was supposed to be the month that saw many nightclubs, bars and restaurants through to the New Year; the time when much-depleted stocks were filled up once more. Never before have businesses depended so much on the festive period. Everyone is working hard to tread the road to recovery as quickly and sustainably as possible after a treacherous 18 months. But no more so than businesses in city centres, those who rely on an economy built on the basis of year-round vibrance.
With such a harsh blow, there has been no update on the financial support for these restaurants, shops, cafes and entertainment venues. The Chancellor urgently needs to announce financial support packages for the hospitality industry and communicate this to them immediately. Merry Christmas wishes from our politicians will fall on deaf ears while these business owners are at home, fretting over their finances.
With the new “work from home” guidance, London, Manchester and all the other cities across the UK will notice a sudden decline in the number of people on the streets.
The lunchtime rush for the local coffee and sandwich shops will diminish. Spontaneous after-work drinks and team lunches will once again fade into the past. The industry has already started to be hit by widespread cancellations of clientlunches and Christmas parties.
The introduction of Covid-19 vaccine passports for large, non-ticketed venues means the spontaneity of going to nightclubs will also be lost. This too will have an effect on visitor numbers – as well as the broader culture and makeup of our cities.
The financial impact of this new variant and subsequent restrictions is only amplified by the looming VAT concerns of the rate rising again come March. This alone has the potential to topple the businesses which are already on the edge. Freezing the VAT at 12.5 per cent is now essential, and I am passionate about getting this across the line in Government and making the road to recovery less ominous.
Amidst all of this, in all of the uncertainty and worry, we have heard the stories of No10 hosting Christmas parties last year. This is, to say the least, extremely disheartening. How is anyone expected to take any restrictions seriously, when we now know that Christmas parties were carried on in No10 last year – when the rest of the country was locked down and unable to see friends, family and loved ones?
There is also significant uncertainty around the longevity of these measures.
We have not yet been offered a yardstick or an end-goal for us to work towards. Vague statements only create fear for business owners who rely on real, hard numbers to keep their companies – and our cities – alive.
The Government should learn from their mistakes from previous lockdowns and map out options for all potential levels of restrictions so that hospitality owners feel nurtured and cared for.
If this doesn’t come into action soon, we are at risk of losing more of these establishments come January.