Manchester restaurateur and chef Simon Wood has spoken out against the government’s lack of supportfor hospitality, threatening that if he is forced to close without a proper financial support package he is of a mind to ‘tell them to shove it’.
Tweeting ‘they can fine me if they want’, he added ‘maybe everyone should do it until they support us properly.’
His furious comments follow a week of mounting pressure on the government to introduce a proper financial support package for the sector, and come amid numerous allegations of a ‘lockdown by stealth’.
Im actually of a mind to say if they close us I’ll tell them to shove it and stay open and they can Fine me if they want.
If enforced closures come Maybe everyone should do it until they support us properly. https://t.co/O66s7LLSeF
Speaking to ITV on Monday night the chef went even further, taking a dig at both the lack of support provided to the sector so far and at plans being floated this week, which suggest new draft regulations would ban indoor mixing except for work purposes, and pubs and restaurants would be limited to outdoor service only.
“Hospitality is a safe environment. If it’s deemed not safe then support it financially and close it for the good of the public. No decent operator in the entire country’s going to argue with that,” he said.
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‘The fact of the matter is, though, they’ve been told people not to go out.
“We’re in a stealth lockdown and we’re suffering and bearing the brunt of it – it’s really, really concerning that we don’t know what’s coming next and there’s mutings of outdoor dining, erm, I’m not sure I know many people that would come for a 12-course tasting menu on the balmy streets of Manchester in January.”
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Making a reference to the recent allegations of rule-breaking in Downing Street, he added, “to be honest, without any kind of evidence, without everyone following the same set of rules, why should we – why should we jeopardise the businesses that we work night and day to keep afloat and we have done for more than just the past two years?”
“Forget the pandemic, hospitality is a tough industry with very low margins, we work very hard for very little a lot of the time. So you know it’s important that if they aren’t going to support us that we stand together as an industry and make a collective stance”.
Draft regulations are being prepared which would ban meeting others indoors except for work purposes, and that pubs and restaurants would be limited to outdoor service only, according to The Times https://t.co/4Eq1ZVrRTN
Simon Wood is just one figure who has been vocal in speaking out about the need for better support in recent weeks.
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He’s been joined by the likes of Andy Burnham and Sacha Lord, both of whom have been calling for an increase in support since the arrival of Omicron in England, which was the first catalyst for a drop-off in restaurant and Christmas party bookings.
In response to the suggestion that a return to outdoor dining could be introduced in Manchester as part of a two-week ‘circuit breaker’ after Christmas, Burnham tweeted:
“Outdoor only? Have they been to Manchester in December?!
“You can’t help but think they’re trying to think of any old excuse to avoid a financial support scheme for hospitality.”
And reaching the end of a long day of meetings with hospitality yesterday, Lord tweeted that he had ‘witnessed tears, anger, fear, anxiety and total lost hope’.
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He said: “Every meeting or outburst has carried the same question. Where on earth is The Chancellor @RishiSunak?”
The comments echo feelings of concern shared by hospitality businesses up and down the country and come amid increasing calls on the Treasury to introduce better support for the sector.
Since the arrival of Omicron in the country several weeks ago, booking cancellations have skyrocketed across the industry – leaving many fearing they will not survive into the new year without additional restrictions and financial support.
It follows the announcement of a state of emergency in London, which was called by the capital’s Mayor Sadiq Khan over the weekend.
Khan appeared on Andrew Marr’s final BBC show on Sunday to peak about the urgent need for better support to be made available to the sector.
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He told Marr that people should go to pubs and restaurants “if they can do so safely”. stating that “pubs, restaurants, and bars have worked so hard to make their places covid safe” before advising people to do a lateral flow before they visited, to socially distance where they can, and to wear masks where they can’t.
“It’s cheaper to support business with grants, with business rates relief, and with furlough than allow them to go bust,” he added.
Following the state of emergency announcement in London, the government held emergency COBRA and cabinet meetings on Monday to discuss future plans – with three different scenarios currently on the table.
Despite this, no Covid announcements have yet been forthcoming.
Featured image – ITV
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New police hub to be set up in Piccadilly Gardens to help reduce anti-social behaviour
Emily Sergeant
A new police hub is set to be established in Piccadilly Gardens.
In case you missed it, it was announced last week that council tax in Greater Manchester could be increased to help fund improvements to policing, and that a consultation on it has been launched – with local residents urged to have their say.
The police precept helps Greater Manchester Police (GMP) to build on a range of improvements, including the speed of answering 999 and 101 calls, road and transport safety across Manchester city centre, and bringing more sex offenders to justice, among many other things.
Greater Manchester council tax is set to be increased again to help fund improvements to policing, and a consultation is now live. 🏘️🚔📝
But on top of this, Mayor Andy Burnham has also pledged to deliver a new police hub in Piccadilly Gardens as part of a wider drive to improve policing.
GMCA says its ‘top priority’ is to build strong communities where people feel safe, and it is Mayor Andy Burnham and his Deputy Mayors’ responsibility to enable GMP to be an ‘effective and efficient’ police force.
Local leaders say their ambition for 2026 is to maintain a ‘high-performing’ police service by tackling crime and anti-social behaviour, and protecting residents and businesses along the way – and part of this ambition is to increase police visibility in Piccadilly Gardens, which is a much-maligned part of the city centre, by launching a new ‘prominent’ police hub.
The increase in the police precept is also being touted to help increase ‘hot spot policing tactics’ in town centres and other key locations to help drive down theft and other violent retail crimes.
A new police hub is to be set up in Piccadilly Gardens to help reduce anti-social behaviour / Credit: Gerald England (via Geograph) | Rawpixel
“We need GMP to be properly funded if it is to continue to deliver an effective and responsive service for people in Greater Manchester,” commented Mayor Andy Burnham. “The cost of running a modern police force is going up and this is at a time when our city region has become the fastest-growing economy in the UK, with visitor numbers increasing year after year.
“So much is happening here and that includes a number of major and complex incidents over the past year, including a terrorist attack. These incidents added significant pressure to police resources.
“We recognise the ongoing impact of the rising cost of living and do not take the decision to increase the precept lightly. But right now, this increase is our only option to ensure GMP can continue delivering an effective police service that ensures that people feel safe in their own communities.”
The Greater Manchester public can respond to the police precept consultation online at www.gmconsult.org until next Wednesday 21 January.
Featured Image – GMP
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Manchester United youth captain Rhys Bennett delivers moving mental health message
Danny Jones
Manchester United academy player and youth team captain Rhys Bennett is being applauded for giving an inspirational interview following the death of his father, sharing a moving and important message about mental health awareness.
Just a disclaimer, while the sit-down with Sky Sports News is deeply touching, it does touch on some triggering subjects, such as suicide.
If you missed the tragic news last year, Rhys’ dad, David, sadly took his own life back in October after battling with depression, with his 22-year-old son speaking to the media back this past December and urging people to “just reach out“.
Since then, further clips from the candid and tearjerking chat haves surfaced online once again, and some are seeing them for the first time, with Bennett once again being met with praise for tackling the subject with bravery and sensitivity.
The Denton-born defender didn’t hesitate in insisting that he wouldn’t be where he is without his parents and David, in particular, but said that opening up and talking to people, as well as getting back into regular routines like eating and sleeping right helped him recover through the grieving process.
He went on to add that he believes “people don’t realise just how appreciated they are” and that the simple act of asking if someone is ok or how they are doing can make a huge difference.
Dubbing it a “permanent solution to a temporary problem”, he also urged those to remember to check in people they love regularly, i.e. not just wait for when they think something might be wrong.
Like anything, being pro-active and preventitive measures are just important in the ongoing mental health crisis that effects millions across the UK alone, with men, specifically, dying from suicide are a higher rate than females.
Bennett, of course, is not the only sports personality to have raised issues around wellbeing of late; not even locally, either, as Stopfordian Nathan Aspinall also called on the Professional Darts Players Association to offer better mental health service – citing “at least two of three people” who need help.
The Denton-born defender has been labelled as “wise beyond his years” and it being apparent why he has been chosen to lead the likes of under 18s and U21s.
Bennett finished up last season at Fleetwood Town after spending his previous loan spell at local side Stockport County, but has since returned to the academy setup back at Carrington.
You can see his full interview with Sky Sports HERE, and to echo the same sentiment we can’t stress enough how much a problem shared is a problem halved.
If you’re struggling with your mental health, you can call the NHS via 111, speak to your GP, use helplines such as the Samaritans on 116 123, as well as find other services via Manchester City Council.
You can contact other charities like Manchester Mind and Andy’s Man Club, or get in touch with Greater Manchester Talking Therapies online. As always, in case of emergencies, please dial 999 immediately.
There is so much help for you out there. For instance, if you need some want an outlet to free up some headspace whilst meeting new like-minded people and getting some fresh air, there’s plenty of groups all over Greater Manchester.
You'd be surprised how much good a walk and having a chat with a friend can do. 🥾❤️
Georgina Pellant -
21st December 2021 
