Colin Neill, Chief Executive of Hospitality Ulster
Reacting to the announcement by Economy Minister Diane Dodds at the latest NI Executive Press Conference, Colin Neill, Chief Executive, Hospitality Ulster said:
“We welcome the announcement by Minister Dodds of the new Covid Restrictions Business Support Scheme (CRBSS) for those in the hospitality sector supply chain who have, so far, not received any financial support since the start of the pandemic. They are an important and much valued element for the smooth functioning and supply of the entire sector, and with the lockdown, where left high and dry through tightened restrictions and ultimately the closure.”
“We look forward with some anticipation to the development of the tourism and hospitality scheme outlined by the Minister today which will address issues associated with current restrictions and will expressly commit to supporting traditional pubs who have been closed for a significant period of time, as the Minister has acknowledged. Financial support needs to get to everyone in the hospitality sector as quickly as possible.”
Reacting to the announcement of the new Job Support Scheme by the Chancellor this afternoon Colin Neill, Chief Executive, Hospitality Ulster added:
“The announcement by the Chancellor this afternoon on the Job Support Scheme must be welcomed as it will give employers and businesses owners some relief that they will be able to protect jobs for at least the next six months. There was real fear, particularly in the hospitality sector here, that the 20% contribution from employers under the existing furlough scheme simply could not be found with closed businesses and zero income. The new scheme will allay a significant amount of anxiety in everyone across the sector and it is also good news that neither the employer not the employee need to have previously used the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme.”
“Government intervention cannot last forever and we need to make sure that we are planning and working towards a reopening phase. The information published earlier this week proved that the hospitality sector was not a high risk in the transmission of covid19 and that the evidence has shown that the justification of the industry lockdown has been largely overplayed to assist with wider contributing behaviours in the home.”