Funding announced for Covid-hit hospitality but unease over new Omicron variant causing 'devastating' impact on Halifax businesses

Uncertainty over potential new pandemic restrictions and concerns about the new Omicron variant are having a “devastating” impact on Halifax’s hospitality businesses
Chief Executive Officer of The Piece Hall Trust Nicky Chance-ThompsonChief Executive Officer of The Piece Hall Trust Nicky Chance-Thompson
Chief Executive Officer of The Piece Hall Trust Nicky Chance-Thompson

The nation remains on tenterhooks as to whether the Government will bring in limits on socialising and industry curfews or closures as it waits for the effect of the latest strain of Covid-19 to become better known.

The precarious situation has meant some of the town’s pubs, bars and restaurants are seeing a substantial reduction in footfall at what should be their busiest time of year.

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Following growing pressure, Chancellor Rishi Sunak announced a £1bn fund to help businesses hit by the rise in Covid-19 cases, including the leisure and hospitality sector, today (Tuesday).

Chief Executive Officer of The Piece Hall Trust, Nicky Chance-Thompson, welcomed the measures but said people’s worries about going out have already caused a considerable dent to the historic venue’s and other traders’ income.

“As a major visitor destination, like everyone, we have been severely impacted by the effects of this pandemic for some time. Whilst we have seen some signs of recovery, the latest Omicron variant has been a sharp reminder that the virus has not gone away.

“Despite having a reputation for operating an enhanced safety approach for our events, some people have been understandably worried about going out, which has had a devastating impact on The Piece Hall and of course the whole sector, particularly in more recent weeks.

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“This has significantly impacted our Christmas programme in terms of attendance and therefore our income.

“We welcome the latest measures announced by the Chancellor. I hope that retail will be supported too.

“Should we need to go into a lockdown/circuit breaker, I would hope that flexible furlough would be re-introduced, perhaps on a sector need basis only to avoid redundancies.”

Landlord Michael Ainsworth, who runs Meandering Bear and The Grayston Unity, said the hospitality sector had been “thrown under a bus” by inconsistent messaging, and the hit to his industry will have a knock-on effect on suppliers.

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“It’s a rough time,” he said, “Over the last two weeks we’ve seen a substantial drop in footfall compared to previous Decembers. It would have been OK for a normal week but this is Christmas week.”

Melanie Thompson, who runs restaurant and luxury shopping space Pride and Provenance with her husband James, said: “I think people are very confused about the rules.”

She said they have seen some cancellations, usually because people have said someone in their party has tested positive for Covid-19.

“It’s the uncertainty,” she said. “We placed a cheese order on Monday not knowing whether we’d be able to open next week or not.

“We’ve been left in a state of uneasiness.”

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Martin Hathaway, Managing Director of Mid Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce, which covers Halifax, said: “The festive season is often the most profitable for these businesses, and will sustain many throughout the year. But, with reports of increased cancellations following 18 months of struggles, we were growing concerned that nothing was being done by Government.

“While many customers may see cancelling a booking as a small measure they can take to limit their contact and reduce the risk of exposure to the virus, to a business this is digging them further into a hole that they may not be able to get out of.”