º£½ÇÊÓÆµ

Oops.

Our website is temporarily unavailable in your location.

We are working hard to get it back online.

PRIVACY
Enterprise

Plymouth's tourism sector calls on Chancellor for support after £169m loss

Plymouth's visitor economy has been badly affected by the Covid lockdowns and businesses say they need help until they can reopen

Plymouth's waterfront

Plymouth’s tourism and hospitality businesses are calling for crucial support from Chancellor Rishi Sunak in order to survive until they can reopen after it emerged they lost £169milion in visitor spend – before the third lockdown.

The city’s visitor economy has lost more than half its income during the past year of Covid-hit trading and is expecting figures to be even worse when January/February stats are processed soon.

Businesses are now calling on Mr Sunak to announce a support package in the March 3 Budget, with a particular call for the furlough scheme to continue.

Amanda Lumley, executive director of Destination Plymouth and co-chair of the Great South West Tourism Partnership (GSWTP), urged the Chancellor to take action.

Amanda Lumley, executive director of Destination Plymouth

“In Plymouth we are over 55% down year on year and many of our businesses are finding trading conditions still very difficult,” she said.

“We are hopeful that the Chancellor’s Budget will give us the crucial support which is needed to help them survive the next few months until the sector can reopen. “

GSWTP research shows 40% of the sector’s businesses believe they cannot currently survive beyond May 2021 and a further 29% are unsure how long their business can survive.

“We have lost over £169million in visitor spend up to end November,” said Mrs Lumley. “We should get Jan/Feb stats next week which will show even higher losses.”