The GCA has requested that Government review assistance offered to Catering in March as "trading levels due to maintained regulations remain low".

 

Now is NOT the time to unplug the Life Support Machine for Hospitality

The GCA requests that the Government review assistance offered to Catering in March as trading levels due to maintained regulations remain low.

 

After BEAT 1 support, the industry was awarded 60%, 40% then 20% of the original support along with discounted rents in the subsequent months leading to a full unlock of the Rock. The same level of support should now remain for the re-opening after our Christmas Closure. Catering has been the hardest hit industry with restrictions still in place for events, limited table sizes, restricted capacity, no live music & no tourism. Bars have been heavily hit with no Pool, Snooker or Darts and hugely decreased capacity with no standing with drinks policy.

Whilst BEAT support when open was a financial help to the business, when forced closed, restaurants and bars were only given minimum wage support towards staff salaries and then had to make up the shortfall. Several businesses have made representations to Government regarding a shortfall in assistance for BEAT 2 with as of yet no positive response despite being told that the matter would be resolved.

The catering business itself, received no financial support in closure and still had to pay alarmingly high utility bills, 50% rents, Service Charges, all with zero income.

Businesses now need support to restart whilst they try to recover from the debt mountain incurred from lock down closures and restricted opening. Our industry needs a further 12 months of protection from the threat of liquidation whilst we recover in the coming months, including protection from rent increases by some landlords eagerly wishing to be compensated from 12 months of discounted rents.

After all the good work from the Government it would have been a waste of public money if businesses now failed, just as the outlook is improving. The GCA would also like a clear road map to the release from restrictions.