The hospitality industry is furiously calling for Rishi Sunak to ‘wake up and help’ after the public was advised to ‘de-prioritise’ social events.
It’s left pubs and restaurants facing a wave of cancellations as people heed Chris Whitty’s advice to ‘prioritise what matters’ ahead of Christmas.
In an echo of March 2020 – when Boris Johnson told people to avoid pubs, but stopped short of closing them with proper financial support – there’s currently no mention of how the Government will help hospitality businesses survive such financial losses.
The Chancellor has been markedly quiet on the matter of support, such as furlough, this time around – he’s currently in California, the Mirror has reported – sparking fury in the hospitality sector.
Well-known figures from the restaurant world have all made cries to the Chancellor like: “Stand up and help,” and: “It’s time for Rishi to say something.”
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Rishi Sunak / Credit: gov.uk
The Government has also been accused of ‘abusing hospitality’.
Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham said on Twitter: “You can’t tell people to ‘think carefully’ before going to pubs and restaurants and then fail to provide any support for the workers/businesses affected.
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“The Government needs to bring forward a support package TODAY for hospitality, events, music and other affected sectors.”
Sacha Lord, who has been busy making rallying cries on news programmes this morning, tweeted: “Colleagues across the UK are waking up broken and in fear. Staff hours are dropping off a cliff.
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“@RishiSunak YOU NEED TO STAND UP. We need IMMEDIATE help and a long term strategy to save us.”
He added that someone needs to ‘urgently wake up’ the Chancellor, saying that he has ‘turned his back’ on the fifth-largest industry in the UK.
Can someone URGENTLY wake up @RishiSunak please.
Chancellor, you’ve turned your back on the 5th biggest industry in the UK.
You will be responsible for the decimation of businesses, livelihoods and mass redundancies. pic.twitter.com/vxj75IWLka
Paul Jones is the co-founder of Manchester brewery Cloudwater, and actively involved in EatWell MCR’s mission to provide tasty meals to vulnerable people in the region.
He supported the message to limit social contacts as Omicron cases rise, but said: “The government is abusing hospitality businesses by (rightly) encouraging reduced socialisation at this time of sky-rocketing Omicron cases, but wrongly and callously offering no financial support to industries directly affected by sharp downturns.”
Cloudwater’s Manchester taproom / Credit: Cloudwater
Tom Kerridge, of Manchester’s Bull & Bear restaurant, was on Sky News this morning, saying: “You have to question as to why we have a point where Chris Whitty is saying one thing and the Government don’t appear to be backing that up or saying the same thing.
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“You have to question, is that because there isn’t a support package there? Or if there is, it’s time for Rishi Sunak – wherever he’s gone – to say something and let us know what’s going on.”
Celebrity chef Michel Roux Jr said it was giving ‘Deja vu March 2020’, and First Dates host and hospitality figure Fred Sirieix described the situation as ‘a shambles’.
What shambles! What disaster for #hospitality Thousands will lose their jobs. How will they look after their family/pay rent/mortgage? This is a huge crisis. What support will those in need get?
Elaine Wrigley, from Manchester’s Atlas Bar, said: “If targeted support was there, then @GOVUK guidance would be fine. We all want to do the right thing.
“Reality however, is that we’ve #lockdown by stealth, and a very concerning winter ahead of us, in city centres, #Manchester. Where is @RishiSunak @BorisJohnson?”
The Guardian’s Gaby Hinsliff posted: “All eyes on Rishi Sunak, then. Morally wrong for PM to host a presser unsubtly-hinting-but-not-quite-saying don’t go out on the town in the run-up to Christmas, but then deny support pubs, restaurants, theatres, cinemas etc. Parliament should force the issue.”
Featured Image – Wikimedia Commons
News
Historic hidden library in Manchester city centre reveals £11m transformation plans
Emily Sergeant
Ambitious plans to transform one of Manchester’s greatest historical hidden gems have been announced.
Founded all the way back in 1806, The Portico Library – which is hidden in plain sight on Mosley Street, in the heart of the city centre – played a central role in Manchester’s rise as the world’s first modern city, and since then, it has been serving as a window into the past and a providing a place of inspiration for anyone who needs it.
But now, these new transformation plans, titled The Reunited Project, will ensure the building not only survives, but also thrives as the UK’s most sustainable historic library for generations to come.
The Portico Library‘s transformational scheme is supported by The National Lottery Heritage Fund, and will look to ‘reunite’ the historic building’s three floors for the first time in over a century, creating a fully-accessible and sustainable cultural library.
Crucially, plans will see a step-free entrance and lift installed to make the library accessible to all.
There’ll also be new exhibition and event spaces introduced as part of the scheme to explore the stories of Manchester’s communities and the city’s heritage.
There will a Northern Bookshop, showcasing regional and emerging writers, and independent publishers, as well as a creative Portico Kitchen, which will celebrate the city’s food culture, writing, and history.
A place for school groups, families, and all people to explore Portico’s collection and experiment creatively also forms part of the plans.
“Portico Reunited is about more than restoring a building,” explained Dr Thom Keep, who is a Librarian & the Chief Executive of the Portico Library, after the transformation plans were submitted to Manchester City Council.
“It’s about opening doors to stories, ideas, heritage and communities across Greater Manchester.
“These plans secure Portico’s future, unlocking the power of heritage to inspire Manchester’s visitors and residents to explore, share, and celebrate their stories and the city’s literary and global heritage.”
If the plans are approved by the Council, The Portico Library will close for around 18 months for construction, during which it will continue to engage the public through its ‘Portigo !’ pop-up programme.
Featured Image – Portico Library
News
Government announces homebuying overhaul to fix country’s ‘broken’ housing system
Emily Sergeant
The Government has announced what it’s calling the biggest shakeup to the homebuying system in this country’s history.
In a bid to ‘rewire a chaotic system which has become a barrier to homeownership for thousands nationwide, the Government has today (Monday 6 October) unveiled proposals that it says will speed up the long-drawn out and costly process of buying a home by four weeks.
The Housing Secretary says this will not only save people money, but unnecessary stress too.
The proposed new plans would see sellers and estate agents required to provide buyers with ‘vital’ information about a property upfront – including the condition of the home, leasehold costs, and chains of people waiting to move.
It’s hoped this will help end any last-minute chain collapses and ultimately give greater confidence to first-time buyers when they’re making one of life’s most important decisions.
The Government has announced plans to fix the country’s ‘broken’ housing system / Credit: Benjamin Elliott (via Unsplash)
Binding contracts could also be introduced to stop people walking away from agreements after buyers painstakingly spend months in negotiations to hopefully halve the number of failed transactions.
The new reforms are also proposing that prospective buyers are provided with side-by-side information on estate agents and conveyancers, including their track record and expertise, alongside new mandatory qualifications and Code of Practice to drive up standards and work to rebuild trust in the industry.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer took to Twitter this morning to address the proposed new homebuying overhaul, commenting: “I promised that my Government would fix the broken housing system.
“Buying or selling a home will be faster, unlocking the dream of homeownership and allowing hardworking people to focus on the next chapter of their lives. That’s national renewal.”
I promised that my government would fix the broken housing system.
Buying or selling a home will be faster, unlocking the dream of homeownership and allowing hardworking people to focus on the next chapter of their lives.
Daisy Jackson -
16th December 2021 
