MP lobbies minister over hospitality firms
BURTON and Uttoxeter MP Kate Griffiths has met the Culture Secretary to raise concerns from worried constituents and local business owners about the hospitality and events sector.
With trading in these industries continuing to be limited amid the Covid pandemic, Ms Griffiths lobbied Oliver Dowden for changes and support for the sector to allow it to operate in a Covid-secure way.
Ms Griffiths said: “The events and hospitality sector has been significantly hit due to the coronavirus pandemic.
“Locally, we have seen how those working in the wedding trade and other local venues are incredibly limited with what can and can’t take place.”
“Whilst it is of course important we continue to do all we can to keep the virus under control, business owners and companies have put considerable amounts of time and money into working out how they can operate in a Covidsecure way. I am pleased to have had the opportunity to put this information to the Secretary of
State and support the concerns of worried local business owners. I am grateful to him for taking the time to hear the issues of the cases I raised and pleased that he and his team are looking hard at this matter.”
Louise Hughes, who runs Lush Occasions, a local events company that has featured in the Burton Mail, said: “It is so sad and very frustrating that our wonderful wedding industry seems to have
been forgotten. With weddings as far as next September postponing and more weddings cancelling as couples are giving up after the third time of postponements, it is a really worrying time. We need a way to hold weddings safely, which in my opinion all comes down to testing.
“Financial support is desperately needed within the industry, but all we want is to get back to holding weddings safely. I am happy to be involved in working on this.”