Luton town centre Business Improvement District (BID) is calling on central government to do more to help the retail, hospitality and leisure sectors survive COVID-19.

The BID, which represents 400 plus businesses in the town centre, has today pledged its full support for ‘Raise The Bar’, a national campaign which is urging government to expand the rateable value threshold for all retail, hospitality and leisure businesses from £51,000 to £150,000. This would enable more businesses to access a £25,000 Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Grant (RHLG) grant.

Fergus McLardy, BID Project Manager, said: “The Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Grant (RHLG) threshold of £51,000 is too low. At a time when businesses are doing all they can survive we ask central government to reconsider and amend the Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Grant (RHLG) to enable more businesses to access the £25,000 grant. In amending the rateable value, we would not only save businesses but we also save jobs.

“The retail, hospitality and leisure sector is vital not just to Luton but also to the UK economy and must be protected at all costs. These are some of our most adaptable businesses and the economy will need them to survive this crisis so they can play their part in rejuvenating the economy.”

Raise The Bar is a national campaign launched to support the people that work for and run businesses in the retail, hospitality and leisure sectors – a sector worth £635billion to our UK economy.

In a letter to local MP Rachel Hopkins the Chair of Luton BID Gavin O’Brien, said: “We implore you and the Government to reconsider the threshold and to make the amendment so that businesses up to and including £150,000 can benefit from a £25,000 grant so that they have the same opportunity to survive and help rebuild our economy.

“We acknowledge that by increasing the RHLG threshold up to and including £150,000 will increase the burden on central and local government. This is a price we believe is worth paying to ensure these businesses are supported to become part of the greater push to mobilise our economy, rather than leaving premises empty, growing unemployment and depleted high street and town centre communities.”

www.raisethebarcampaign.com

April 27th, 2020Press Releases

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