Some of the biggest hospitality names in Suffolk have joined over 100 businesses in writing to the Government asking for support for the industry.

East Anglian Daily Times: Nick Mackenzie, chief executive of Greene King Pictture: ADAM SMYTHNick Mackenzie, chief executive of Greene King Pictture: ADAM SMYTH (Image: Adam Smyth / Greene King)

Adnams and Greene King are just two of the businesses to have signed the letter alongside brands like Budweiser, Burger King, Caffe Nero and Pizza Hut.

It calls on Boris Johnson for “additional and urgent support” to help the industry survive what it calls the “bleakest of winters”.

The letter covers how the industry has struggled in a variety of different ways as a result firstly of the coronavirus lockdown and latterly by different restrictions imposed once lockdown was lifted.

“We are committed to working with the Government in the fight to keep Covid-19 under control and demonstrating our businesses are safe places for customers to visit,” read the letter.

“Quite simply, though, we need additional and urgent support in order to survive this bleakest of winters. “Businesses are at risk of failure and hundreds of thousands of viable jobs will be lost without Government action.”

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Business leaders have suggested ways the Government could support the industry in the letter.

“In the immediate term, the employer contributions need to be removed for the hospitality sector and a new package of grant funding for businesses that face restrictions brought forward,” they said.

“To plan for a future beyond the winter, the VAT cut and business rates holiday must also be extended through 2021 and beer duty cut.”

Without further support, the industry leaders say that businesses will struggle to keep going.

“Our sector has been hit incredibly hard by the pandemic and many businesses have already sadly closed forever, with the remainder fighting for survival,” read the letter.

“For tens of thousands of small pub business operators, these are their homes as well as their livelihoods.

“Many have not even yet had the chance to re-open, such as nightclubs and the events sector.

“If we are to have businesses to rebuild once the winter months are over that will lead the economic and employment recovery, we now need urgent Government support.

“Sector-specific restrictions deserve sector-specific support.”

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