Shadow Chancellor visits the North Coast

The Shadow Chancellor heard directly from a number of stakeholders from the sector during a roundtable lunch in Ballycastle.

Hospitality and tourism have been among the hardest hit as a result of the pandemic with many traditional pubs still closed across Northern Ireland and the need for targeted and ongoing financial support was raised with the Shadow Chancellor.

The challenges and issues which are facing the hospitality and tourism sectors as a result of Covid-19 and in normal times were underlined by representatives including from Hospitality Ulster, Hotel Federation, National Trust, NI Tourism Alliance, and the Taste Causeway Collaborative Growth Network.

The Shadow Chancellor also visited the Giant’s Causeway and met with other business leaders in Northern Ireland during her visit.

She said: “Northern Ireland is a wonderful place to visit and I’ve been overwhelmed by the friendly welcome I’ve received from everyone here.

“But it’s also clear to me that the tourism industry here is really struggling in the wake of the Covid-19 crisis. The UK government’s decision to withdraw wage support across the economy in one fell swoop will only make things worse.

“Many businesses are set to lose support before they’ve been able to get back onto their feet. The Chancellor must think twice before more jobs go in sectors like tourism and hospitality both in Northern Ireland and across the UK.”

Colin Neill, Chief Executive of Hospitality Ulster added: “It was great to have the Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer listen directly to the sector here and to hear about the severe impact Covid-19 has had on those in hospitality and tourism throughout NI

“The Shadow Chancellor heard how difficult the past number of months have been right across the country and we were greatly encouraged by her support for the sector which contributes £1.2 billion annually to the local economy.”