West End business alliance responds to new COVID-19 restrictions

The Heart of London Business Alliance, which represents 500 leading businesses and 100 top property owners in London’s West End, has issued a response to the government’s new COVID-19 restrictions revealed today, calling for “continued government support for employees affected by the impact on central London footfall.”

On the effect of the Prime Minister’s statement to the House of Commons this afternoon, Ros Morgan, Chief Executive of the Heart of London Business Alliance, said: “These measures will further hit businesses in the centre of London, who rely on tourists and commuters more than any other part of the country.”

“If government is going to introduce these measures, the other side of the coin is that it also must help businesses that, through no fault of their own, are fighting for their lives due to COVID-19 restrictions.

“We are therefore calling for continued government support for employees affected by the impact on central London footfall, such as those working in hospitality, culture and retail, to avoid a cliff edge when the furlough scheme ends in October. 

“This should be part of a wider package of business support measures, including extending the business rates holiday and increasing the threshold for eligibility for the Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Grant Fund so that it can help in central London.

“Central London has so much to offer in terms of culture, retail and leisure. But for it to be there for us in the good times, we need to be there for it the bad times. Central London’s dynamic businesses and rich culture and experiences are not merely job creators - they are critical to the UK’s global competitiveness. If the country is to recover and grow stronger in the longer term, we must all work together to get London firing on all cylinders as quickly and safely as possible.”

The Heart of London Business Alliance represents leading businesses and property owners in the Piccadilly, St James’s, Leicester Square, Piccadilly Circus and St Martin’s areas. It hosts over 45,000 jobs, equivalent to 8% of jobs in the West End, and plays a vital role in the city's economy, generating £4.6bn in GVA (gross value added) per annum.