Industry petition calls on Government to support hospitality
Chef Alex Claridge and his team at The Wilderness restaurant in Birmingham started the petition last night (16 March) after Boris Johnson advised people to ‘avoid’ pubs and restaurants.
But the Prime Minister stopped short of ordering businesses to close, leaving the majority in limbo and unable to claim on their insurance.
The petition has been shared across social media and has attracted the support of chefs Monica Galetti, Jason Atherton and Angela Hartnett.
Claridge says: “Last night, Boris Johnson advised the public to avoid bars, restaurants and pubs but did not tell us we must stop operating.
"Last night, Boris shunned his responsibility and duty to the three billion people who work in the hospitality industry in the UK, the third largest industry in Britain, and instead forced business owners and employers up and down the country to make a decision which should not have been in their hands.
“I couldn’t sit by and watch the hard work my team, my peers and three billion other people crumble before my eyes overnight and started a petition to ask for our questions to be answered.
"The £75 billion contribution the hospitality industry adds to the economy annually must, we argue, afford us at least that.”
The petition is calling for:
- A clear support - financial and practical - laid out by the government for both staff and business owners alike
- A decision from the government - because if businesses take the decision to close any form of insurance is no longer an option
- Clarity for guests to ensure their safety
- Transparency on timeline so businesses can prepare logistically and rationally for times ahead
Claridge also intends to set up a donations page to raise funds for those most affected.
Later today Chancellor Rishi Sunak will announce economic measures to help businesses, expected to go well beyond the £12bn allocated in last week's Budget.
To sign the petition click here.
