Hospitality sales in towns where protests were rumoured to occur have plummeted by as much as 40%, according to UKHospitality, with some businesses reporting a staggering 75% drop in footfall last week.
The trade body highlighted that widespread cancellations contributed significantly to the decline. City centres also experienced mass event cancellations, as many workers were advised to work from home.
In response to the crisis, Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds endorsed UKHospitality’s urgent call for insurance companies to expedite claims to help affected businesses recover. Kate Nicholls, Chief Executive of UKHospitality, emphasized the gravity of the situation: “These figures are startling and show the enormous impact the riots, and the threat of further disorder, have had on our high streets and communities.”
Nicholls also expressed relief that the feared protests and riots did not materialize over the weekend, allowing the focus to shift towards recovery. “Now, we must turn our attention to supporting our high streets, which were already grappling with the economic challenges of operating in the current climate. Hospitality is the glue that knits our communities together, and our sector is ready to collaborate with the government to play a central role in revitalizing our high streets after the difficulties of the past ten days.”
She further stressed the importance of swift action on practical measures, such as processing insurance claims, to help businesses get back on their feet as quickly as possible.