Commenting on yesterday’s (December 30) announcement by the Health Secretary, which will put the majority of England into either tier 3 or 4 from today, UKHospitality Chief Executive Kate Nicholls said:
“ Nearly all of England will be in tiers 3 or 4, with hospitality returned to the conditions at the end of March – effectively shut down. We have consistently pleaded for the Government to reassure hospitality businesses and allow them to plan for survival, by announcing an extension to the 5% VAT rate and to the business rates holiday, and to urgently detail new support grants. Without these steps, businesses cannot plan for any future at all, meaning hundreds of thousands of job losses.
“With the vast majority of the country’s hospitality now unable to trade, we cannot deliver this message to Government loudly enough. The sector has suffered more than any other under Covid and without urgent action we will witness a hospitality bloodbath, losing thousands of venues for good.”
