Colliers calls for hospitality support amid ‘massive impact’ of Plan B
It said the Government “must step in to financially support the sector”, which is only just getting off its knees following difficult 18 months since Covid-19 first struck
Calls from Chris Whitty for people to scale back their Christmas plans after Britain recorded 78,000 Covid in one day has had a “massive knock-on impact” on the retail, hospitality and leisure sector, which now urgently needs Government support, according to Colliers.
As the public is heeding government advice to rein back from going out to limit the spread of the virus, Colliers said the Government “must step in to financially support the sector”, which is “only just getting off its knees” following the difficult 18 months since Covid-19 first struck.
John Webber, head of business rates at Colliers, said: “It is ironic that on the day the Act of Parliament outlawing rating appeals became law, the Government through its announcements has damaged businesses in cities throughout the country who rely on visitors – this includes not only restaurants / bars and retail but also serviced offices.”
“Although we are not yet in an official Lockdown such as we saw at the beginning of the year, we might as well be aware of the impact the Government’s public health messaging is having on public behaviour. With calls to work from home as much as possible and to reduce socialising yet again, the retail/ hospitality industry is losing custom at a rate of knots, costing billions of pounds.”
He added: “This should surely be accompanied by some sector specific financial support from the Treasury.
“The industry was only just starting to recover. And now it’s being hit for six again. The chancellor needs to come out of the shadows and announce some key reliefs and he needs to do it now.“
