Ministers were today urged not to commit an “act of folly” by allowing central London’s night-time economy to be devastated by scrapping the furlough scheme completely in October.
A growing number of Tory MPs are appealing to Chancellor Rishi Sunak to extend the jobs support scheme for specific sectors such as the arts, amid hopes that a Covid vaccine will be available early next year.
Julian Knight, Conservative chairman of the Commons digital, culture, media and sport committee, told the Standard: “It would be an act of folly to allow London’s night-time economy to disappear all for the sake of a few extra months of furlough.”
Nickie Aiken, Tory MP for the Cities of London and Westminster, added: “The furlough scheme has secured hundreds of thousands of jobs in the West End. While I appreciate the reasons why the Government is bringing the scheme to an end next month, there is a strong argument to extend it for those in the arts at least.”
Outlining a blueprint to save central London’s economy and to attract foreign tourists, visitors and investors, she also called for:
- Sunday trading hours to be extended from 6pm to 8pm in international designated areas, for example, Oxford Street, Knightsbridge and Bicester Village.
- The business rates freeze to be extended for another year.
- Tax-free shopping for EU visitors from January 2021.
- A free first journey to all Oyster card holders to persuade people back onto the public transport network.
The Government has announced a £1.57 billon support package for the arts but impresario Andrew Lloyd Webber is warning that the arts are at the “point of no return” after being hit so hard by the Covid restrictions.
