Following the Government’s announcement that pubs, restaurants, hotels, social clubs and galleries will be able to reopen on July 4, 2020, our head of offices across England have shared their anticipation for the regions.
“Manchester is just not used to being a quiet place,” said Peter Gallagher, Head of Collier’s Manchester office. “Our vibrant hospitality sector is tightly bound to the fabric of the city. We are known throughout the world for our unique offering of big national chains alongside independent local entrepreneurs who create a day and night time economy for all tastes. In the region as a whole the visitor economy is worth over £8billion and supports over 100,000 jobs locally, so its restart is crucial to stimulating a much-anticipated awakening of wider commercial activity
“Reducing the social distancing measures to 1m+ is going to significantly help those businesses who feared running at a loss with 2m measures in place. Now businesses have a real chance to get their staff back to work and make up for the lost time of the past three months.”
Head of our Birmingham office, James Cubitt added: “Boris Johnson’s latest announcement regarding the opening up of the leisure and hospitality sector from 4th July and the reduction in the social distancing requirement to 1 metre+ is an extremely welcome step both socially and economically as it increases the potential for social interaction – which is the thing that people have missed most throughout this crisis.
“The direct benefits to the leisure and hospitality sector are significant and it will be great to see bars around Brindley place and other leisure districts in the vicinity thriving again. In addition, the opening up of amenities such as restaurants, bars and pubs will also have a very positive impact on other sectors, such as offices. The ability to socialise with colleagues and clients in bars and restaurants is a key driver for companies to be based in city centres and returning to the workplace is likely to be a far more appealing prospect for staff now these are open for business.
“However, public health remains the key concern and it is essential for operators to implement the suggested measures correctly. Consumer confidence is key at this time and failure to take on board Government health and safety procedures is likely to damage customer trust and have a reverse effect on business.”
Jo Edwards, Head of our South West office in Bristol said: “After many weeks of uncertainty this is a welcome relief for businesses that they are able to reopen ahead of the peak summer season. The local economies of Devon, Cornwall, The Cotswolds and Dorset rely heavily on tourism, while Bristol and Bath’s hospitality sector will be significantly boosted by the reduction of social distancing measures to 1m+, helping to make reopening a more viable prospect.
“With many people looking to enjoy a staycation rather than a holiday abroad this year, we expect there will be many looking to visit this beautiful part of the country and provide a vital boost to the local economy – we must all ensure that measures are in place to protect staff and customers so we’re ready to welcome visitors again from July 4.”
