Burnham: Action is needed now to help night time economy crippled by pandemic and cost of living crisis
22.04.2022 - 12:45
/ manchestereveningnews.co.uk
Mayor Andy Burnham has said that the ‘hangover’ facing the hospitality industry in the wake of the pandemic is going to be ‘with us for a long time’. Burnham was speaking at the launch of a new Night Time Economy Strategy from the Greater Manchester Combined Authority, devised by Manchester’s night time economy advisor Sacha Lord.
He told the Manchester Evening News: “It’s a real worry, particularly with energy bills the way they are. That could be the thing that tips some [businesses] over the edge. Things are not back to normal. The impression I think has been given at a national level is that it’s all over, we’re all back, let’s crack on with it.
“The hangover of the pandemic is going to be with us for a long time. Obviously we’re looking at everything we can do to support businesses, all businesses. The challenge we got is the resource.”
Asked if there was more to be done to lean on the government to reduce VAT and business rates back to the discounted levels brought in during the pandemic, he added: “Certainly. One thing that will be part of the negotiation we’ll be having soon with the government in May will be a deepening of our devolution deal, and part of that has got to be conveying how serious things are.
“The Spring statement was nowhere near adequate when it comes to support that individuals and businesses are going to need throughout the rest of this year. October is going to be the crunch point, because that’s going to be when the big rise in energy bills is coming, and there needs to be much, much from the government on the table.”
The new strategy plan aims to support the city’s hospitality sector through a series of initiatives from improving pay in the sector to working with Transport for Greater
The website popstar.one is an aggregator of news from open sources. The source is indicated at the beginning and at the end of the announcement. You can
send a complaint on the news if you find it unreliable.