Yorkshire Chamber welcomes £1bn hospitality support package as Omicron surges

The Mid Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce welcomes today’s announcements of a £1bn support package for the hospitality and leisure industry, as Covid-19 cases continue to surge.

In recent weeks, reports of cancellations across hospitality and leisure firms were rife, leading many to worry that no action was being taken to support struggling businesses.

Thus, the Chancellor has announced £1bn of new support for business, including up to £6k in grants for hospitality and leisure businesses, the reintroduction of the Statutory Sick Pay Rebate Scheme, as well as further funding available via the Culture Recovery Fund.

Martin Hathaway, managing director of the Mid Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce, said: “I am pleased with today’s announcement of further support for these industries, which are some of the hardest hit by the various measures that have been in place throughout the pandemic.

“The festive season is often the most profitable for these businesses, and will sustain many throughout the year. But, with reports of increased cancellations following 18 months of struggles, we were growing concerned that nothing was being done by the Government.

“While many customers may see cancelling a booking as a small measure they can take to limit their contact and reduce the risk of exposure to the virus, to a business this is digging them further into a hole that they may not be able to get out of.

“I completely understand the call for the public to follow Government advice and, to protect themselves as best they can, however, I am a firm believer that the Government’s available support for businesses should go hand in hand with the advice they are giving to the general public.

“We must remember that these firms are still trying to recover from the initial Covid lockdowns, and that some have only recently been able to reopen.”

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