Hire Space and senior industry figures joined a roundtable hosted by Lucy Powell MP, Shadow Business Minister, called to inform the opposition’s campaigning in support of the events, conference and wedding industries.
Key points
Key points discussed at the roundtable included:
- The impact of COVID19 on businesses in the events, conference and wedding sectors and associated supply chain industries
- The impact of previous and current government support packages and policy measures
- Further support the sectors need to remain viable
Lucy Powell, MP for Manchester Central and the Shadow Minister for Business and Consumers and prominent events advocate, described the session as an “extremely informative roundtable on the events sector and its importance .. this is a viable, big and important sector”
Also in attendance were prominent Labour MPs and senior events figures, who raised points including:
- The government must urgently clarify what events businesses can and cannot do. Inconsistencies between legislation, guidance and rhetoric are unacceptable whilst most European countries are currently holding events safely
- Events businesses and freelancers require additional support from the government whilst events are not taking place. Grants, not loans.
- Events are an essential part of the solution for economic recovery in the UK, not the problem. We are viable, and are only held back by government policy.
Following the discussion, Ms Powell resolved to write directly to the Prime Minister as part of a concerted opposition effort. This included a contribution from former Labour leader Ed Miliband, who this weekend warned that events, conference and wedding businesses were being shut out of the extension of the Job Support Scheme announced on Friday by the Chancellor. The aim of this is to increase the pressure on the government over its support for the events sector and its associated supply chain.
Hire Space will continue to support this campaign and will continue to provide updates on this blog and on social media @hirespace. In the meantime, watch out for a debate tomorrow, Tuesday 13th October, at 11am on Fiscal support for the events industry during the COVID-19 outbreak.
Author
Izzie Lachecki
Izzie brings a deep understanding of the events world to Hire Space, and keeps busy by writing lots of Hire Space and EventLAB content and managing the Hire Space social media presence.
