The Bath Business Improvement District is backing a campaign calling on the Government to do more to support retail, hospitality and leisure businesses.
Croydon Business Improvement District’s Bounce Back Better campaign is asking the government to do more to support businesses and ensure towns and cities across the country have the ability to recover from tier restrictions and lockdowns.
Bath’s annual footfall is estimated to be 6 million, and in 2018, Bath was the 11th most visited city in the UK by international staying visitors, welcoming a total of 348,000 through the year.
Because of the city’s economic reliance on the hospitality trade, Bath’s businesses and the people employed in them will be dependent on the proposed support outlined in the Bounce Back Better Manifesto, particularly sector-specific grant support, help with employee costs, the business rates holiday extension and the extension of the VAT reduction scheme.
UKHospitality has already warned that the new tier three restriction system will result in 94% of hospitality businesses becoming unviable by March 2021.
In tier two, it is 75%, and even at tier one, 25% of hospitality businesses will become unviable.
Bath BID says that sector-specific measures require sector-specific support, and the campaign’s manifesto outlines a range of packages which will provide a vital lifeline for hospitality, retail and leisure businesses alike.
The manifesto follows talks with businesses, Business Improvement Districts, Local Authorities, destinations and industry bodies to provide options of support to help the UK economy ‘Bounce Back Better’.
Allison Herbert, Chief Executive of the Bath BID, is keen to see the manifesto adopted: “We are pleased to offer our support to this manifesto challenge which was launched by Croydon BID.
“Sector-specific support will be essential to help Bath find a way through the challenges of this pandemic.
“We urge the Chancellor to stand by his promise to do whatever it takes and make sure that the city does not see large numbers of closure and job losses.”
Bill Addy, Chair of the BID Foundation and CEO of Liverpool BID Company, said: “The government has the chance to act now and lessen lasting damage to economic growth and jobs.
“The UK’s economy recovery rests on local businesses continuing to trade and generate employment opportunities. This manifesto asks the government to extend existing measures and introduce a one-off funding injection that together will stem the bleeding out businesses are facing.”
Ellie Leiper, Owner of The Grapes Bath and Director of the Bath BID, added: “The government appears woefully out of touch with the costs associated with running a business.
“Costs far outweigh the £3,000 grant offered under the current scheme and more is needed to support businesses like ours to ensure the continued vibrancy of the hospitality sector in Bath.
“We are grateful for the furlough support we have received but grant funding will not even cover the costs we have for National Insurance and pension contributions, let alone rent, supplier costs and utilities.
“Without deeper and more targeted government support, I am concerned that businesses will end up closing their doors forever, hospitality will not be there to help the economy get back on its feet and we will lose the employment which the government is working so hard to protect.”
