‘Night tsar’ call to new mayor as poll looms

Winning candidate urged to boost hospitality in county

NORTH Yorkshire’s new mayor should consider appointing a “night-time tsar” to help boost the region’s hospitality industry, a new report has suggested in advance of this week’s election.

The call for the new figurehead is made in a report by the Devolution Alliance, a collaboration between West & North Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce, York St John University and the University of York.

A dozen influential local business leaders were interviewed for the study, including Adam Wardale, chairman of Hospitality Association York.

He suggested the new mayor should consider creating a similar post to the night-time economy adviser role introduced by Andy Burnham in Greater Manchester.

That position is held by Sacha Lord, inset, a music festival and club night creator, who is not paid. His role working with Mr Burnham is described as “providing a voice for workers, operators and the industry at large”.

A similar role is done in London for Mayor Sadiq Khan by Amy Lamé, for which she is paid over £116,000 per year.

The Devolution Alliance report noted that North Yorkshire’s hospitality sector is a key part of the region’s £1.5bn tourism economy – employing around 50,000 people at places like hotels and restaurants which tend to be small and medium-sized businesses.

Mr Wardale told the alliance that creating a similar post to the one in Greater Manchester would allow the new mayor to listen more directly to the needs of the hospitality sector.

He is quoted in the report as saying: “Look at Greater Manchester Combined Authority’s night-time economy. It is huge.

“They have appointed the nighttime economy adviser, and they are the sort of conversations I have had with the Labour and Conservative mayoral people.

“They need to really put a focus on it and maybe even look at having a hospitality adviser as part of their team.”

Mr Wardle said one of the major challenges facing the hospitality industry in the region is an additional 1,500 bedrooms being let on Airbnb in the past four years – the equivalent of 10 large hotels.

“We need to highlight this to councillors and central government, who would not let 10 hotels just pop up with no planning,” he added.

“This is about having a fair playing field and ensuring short-term lets have appropriate regulation. They have a direct impact on the housing crisis in the area.”

Other concerns listed included poor public transport links, making it difficult for staff to get to and from work.

It comes ahead of a tight race to become the region’s first mayor, with bookmakers making Labour’s David Skaith the narrow favourite to win the election ahead of voters going to the polls this Thursday.

However, a Labour source told The Sunday Times yesterday that they think Conservative candidate Keane Duncan will clinch victory.

The Lib Dems, the Greens and two independent candidates are also standing, with the result due to be announced on Friday.

Other key asks being made by the Devolution Alliance include improving inward investment into the region and for the new mayor “to recognise the importance of business to the region’s prosperity”.

Sarah Czarnecki, president of York & North Yorkshire Chamber, said: “What has emerged from the research is a compelling picture of what can be achieved if business growth is unlocked in our region.

“When the mayor is elected after this Thursday’s election, they will have a clear pathway to making York and North Yorkshire a more prosperous and fairer place to do business.”

PEOPLE in Yorkshire don’t tend to follow examples from the other side of the Pennines instinctively, but a proposal to take inspiration from the lead of Greater Manchester when it comes to promoting the regional hospitality industry is one worth serious consideration.

A new report by The Devolution Alliance, a collaboration between York & North Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce, York St John University and the University of York, has included a call for the region’s new mayor to consider appointing a ‘nighttime tsar’ similar to the one already in existence in Greater Manchester.

That post advising Andy Burnham is held by music event promoter Sacha Lord.

There is little doubt there are differences between the businesses that make up the evening economy in Manchester and those in North Yorkshire, where independent restaurants and hotels tend to take primacy over bars and nightclubs.

However, having a visible champion for the hospitality industry who could advise the fledgling mayor on how best to help the sector in North Yorkshire seems like an eminently sensible idea which could bring major benefits.

But there are also lessons to be learnt from the challenges seen in London with its own nighttime tsar Amy Lamé, who has been the subject of criticism for perceived ineffectiveness in her post while being paid a taxpayer-funded six-figure salary.

More generally, the Devolution Alliance is calling on the new mayor for York and North Yorkshire to address the needs of businesses and put the region before party politics when making decisions.

Whoever wins Thursday’s election will surely be keen to engage with that simple but important message as they attempt to make a positive difference for the region.