UKHospitality, which represents 700 businesses, has written to the Prime Minister Boris Johnson to highlight the impact COVID-19 has already had on businesses around the country.
Kate Nicholls, chief executive of UKHospitality, said: “Hospitality businesses are on the front line, so to speak. There has been a significant impact on the sector. Bookings are down, footfall is down, and all signs point to it getting worse before it gets better.
“This is now an emergency for our sector. If Government doesn’t act to mitigate the impact and give us support, businesses are in danger. This means cash flow becomes a problem; venues are under threat and jobs at risk.
“By the time the immediate threat of the virus has subsided it may be too late for some businesses. Support is needed and it is needed now.”
The trade body warned that forward bookings for hotels, restaurants and pubs have fallen by up to 50%.
The letter calls on the Government to implement measures, including:
- A moratorium on business rates for a minimum of three months, extendable dependent on the extent of virus spread; any quarantined area to have business rates annulled for the period of non-trading.
- Business payment delay to ease cash flow (on VAT, PAYE and NICs).
- VAT cut for hospitality and tourism, to incentivise bookings, so that trade can resume as quickly as possible when the virus threat subsides.
You can read UKHospitality’s letter to the Prime Minister by clicking on the document below.