Sadiq Khan, Should Give Hospitality Businesses A Rent And Rates Holiday To Weather Tube Strikes

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, should give hospitality businesses a rent and rate holiday so they can weather the tube strikes, say leading audit, tax and business advisory firm, Blick Rothenberg.

Andrew Sanford, a Partner at the firm, said:
“Many hospitality units are in Transport For London (TFL) property and Sadiq Khan should give them a rent and business rates holiday for the strike period if they are in affected postcodes.

He added: “The hospitality sector has been hit by rising Employers National Insurance Contributions (NIC), the cost-of-living crisis and increases in the living wage. It can ill afford a week of negligible footfall caused by these strikes without getting some form of support.” 

Andrew said: “While offices can adapt with home working, that option is not open to an already under stress sector that requires in person work for a number of roles. London hospitality businesses will have to consider if it is better to close for the week to try and preserve cash.”

He added: “At a time when owners of small hospitality businesses are working longer hours as they can ill afford extra staff, the union demands of a reduced working week may garner little favour.”

Andrew said: “Hospitality employees on zero-hour contracts will be affected by the Union action the most. They are only paid for the hours they work, meaning they may lose out on an entire week’s wages.”