Hull faces toughest challenge to bounce back after Covid-19
STUDY SHOWS CITY HAS HARDEST TASK IN ALL OF YORKSHIRE
HULL is facing the toughest challenge of any Yorkshire city to bounce back economically once the worst of Covid-19 is over, according to a new study published yesterday.
Research by the Centre for Cities think-tank says the impact of the pandemic makes the Government’s much-vaunted pledge to level up Yorkshire almost five times harder to deliver than it would have been before the virus.
Its annual study of the UK’S urban areas claims Hull is the place in Yorkshire facing the biggest levelling up challenge because of the city’s high unemployment and deprivation rates, followed by Bradford, Doncaster and Leeds.
The study also ranks Hull as facing the second biggest challenge among all the major towns and cities in the UK.
Centre for Cities chief executive Andrew Carter said: “Covid-19 has made the Government’s pledge to level up large cities and towns of Yorkshire much harder.
“It was promised on the assumption that places in the South would remain prosperous, but Covid-19 has shaken this assumption.
“Levelling up Yorkshire and stopping the South’s levelling down will not be cheap and will require more than short-term handouts.
“Government support and investment for new businesses in emerging industries will be essential, as will spending on further education to train people to do the good-quality jobs created.”
The study calls on chancellor Rishi Sunak to draw up urgent plans showing how the Government intends to deal with Covid’s shortterm damage to cities and large towns.
It says he should make a £20 increase in Universal Credit permanent, create support for people to find new jobs and consider the merits of a revamped East Out to Help Out scheme for the hard-hit hospitality sector once it is safe.
The think-tank also wants to see long-term measures being introduced, including improving transport infrastructure and making city centres more attractive for high-skilled businesses to relocate.
Last week, Hull City Council’s finance director David Bell warned the impact of the pandemic on city’s economy was likely to be felt for several years.
He also suggested a major rethink of how the city centre operates might be needed if footfall does not return to pre-covid levels and businesses, particularly in the retail struggle.
Another report published recently by Demos-pwc echoed yesterday’s study.
It said while Hull had probably been the least impacted Yorkshire city last year after staying out of the higher Tier restrictions until November, it still faced a slower economic recovery than its regional neighbours.
Jonathan House, devolved and local government lead at PWC, said: “The pandemic has led to people living their life much closer to home and the likelihood is some of these lifestyle changes will stay for the medium-term.
“Citizens will value different things and those places that meet those needs will be the ones that bounce back quicker.” sector, continue to
Covid-19 has made the Government’s pledge to level up large cities and towns of Yorkshire much harder Andrew Carter