In the journey of learning to live with Covid-19, our businesses need support
For many City shops, restaurants and pubs, the new work from home advice has cancelled Christmas. These are dark winter days for businesses who were expecting this period to be their busiest time.
But the faster we all get jabbed, the quicker we can get back to the office. All eligible City workers need to be part of this effort to get their first, second and boost vaccines to prevent the spread of Omicron and to rescue our economy.
We all want to see a return to busy pubs, restaurants, and cultural venues, and bustling City shops. Getting your jab is the best way to safely make that a reality.
The Square Mile’s dedicated vaccination site at 120 Fleet Street has already protected over 12,000 people since it began offering the jab in April. More than 23 million adults in the UK have now received their booster – with 548,000 booster vaccines given in only one day last week.
There are also small steps and trade offs we can all make to protect our economy. We all need to be wearing face masks on public transport, shops, and crowded places. On top of that, regular testing will help break the chains of infection. It’s also important to let in fresh air indoors and wash or sanitise your hands frequently.
It’s clear the capital is facing a challenging moment in the fight against the Omicron variant.
Last week the chief executive of the UK Health Security Agency said Omicron is “probably the most significant threat we’ve had since the start of the pandemic”, with the variant’s infection levels growing across most communities in the UK.
But we need to find ways to live with the virus which allow the economy to prosper, and in the meantime provide more support for the small businesses who are suffering under the restrictions.
Last week, I wrote to the Chancellor of the Exchequer calling on the Government to provide support for SMEs in this difficult time.
We need to see grant funding based on the number of businesses in a given area and full business rate relief for the retail, leisure and hospitality sectors should be reintroduced until March 2022.
We also want to see an extension of the VAT relief for hospitality, accommodation, and certain attractions beyond March 2022.
London is the engine of the national economy, and we need to keep it running properly if we are to maximise its contribution to the rest of the UK.
We can all play our part individually. But the Government must act decisively, too.
The Prime Minister must set out a clear roadmap to normality early in the new year and base all decisions on data. Without this certainty, our economy will flounder.
Despite the current malaise, business leaders across the City remain confident in the Square Mile’s recovery. Since we started our campaign to showcase the very best of what the City has to offer – from the world-class culture, to heritage, and food to entertainment, retail and architecture – we have seen footfall jump more than 25 per cent.
City workers and residents have shown remarkable courage in following the guidelines throughout this pandemic, and I know they will continue to do so.
I wish readers a very Merry Christmas, despite the circumstances, and thank all Londoners for the commitment and strength they are showing in our fight against Covid-19.