The Reader: Small West End traders need more help, Rishi

Rishi Sunak
PA
13 March 2020
WEST END FINAL

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Jubilee Market in Covent Garden is home to about 300 independent businesses per week and is owned by some of the traders who saved market trading in Covent Garden back in 1984. Due to the location of our market and our lease, we have a huge rates bill to pay every year, which we do.

However, the Chancellor’s attempt to help small business in the Budget by abolishing business rates for some companies has done nothing to assist ones in the West End such as ours.

Virtually every retail business in the area will be above the £51,000 threshold he has set. These businesses have been repeatedly used as a cash cow for London, and while we are grateful that a business rates review will take place this year, it will not help those in the area that are experiencing a severe downturn in footfall with the coronavirus crisis and lack of tourists in London.

We would urge the Chancellor to consider doing more for the businesses that bankroll London.
Stewart Carroll, Chairman, Jubilee Market Hall Ltd

Editor's reply

Dear Stewart

You are right to point out that the Chancellor’s business rates relief will be of only limited benefit in central London, where very few businesses are below the £51,000 threshold. My understanding is this would have to be lifted to £75,000 or even £100,000 to be of help to the vast majority of restaurants, bars, cafés and other West End traders.

As ever, it is the smaller independent operators — precisely those that give areas such as Soho and Covent Garden their special character — who have only limited financial resources to fall back on and are most at risk. It was tough enough to make a profit even before the outbreak with Brexit pushing up the cost of hiring staff. But with trade currently down by as much as 50 per cent it is only a matter of time before we see the first failures directly linked to coronavirus.

London is deeply out of favour politically but the West End is a significant global asset and deserves a shield from this threat.
Jonathan Prynn, Consumer Affairs Editor

Lib Dems sense on cannabis​

Siobhan Benita
Finnbarr Webster/Getty Images

Siobhan Benita and the Liberal Democrats have been leading the debate for London to pilot a legalised, regulated cannabis market.

Violent drug gangs and organised crime are leading to children being murdered on our streets. One way to beat this is to take power away from the criminals by legalising the trade.

Criminalising cannabis users ruins life chances and creates barriers to getting help. Those with addictions need medical help not police enforcement. Londoners are liberal — what better way to show it than to elect a mayor who can get this done.
Kate Pothalingam​, Liberal Democrat GLA candidate, London North East

Ignition on car charging points​

Your coverage of the Budget noted the Government will invest £500 million in ultra-rapid charging points. We welcome this, alongside other commitments made over carbon capture and storage. It’s great to see “range anxiety” has been recognised as a key blocker to mass take-up of electric vehicles and we look forward to working with Government on its review of charging infrastructure along the full strategic road network.

By investing in infrastructure for charging hubs, the government can help cut carbon and boost air quality.
Nicola Shaw, Executive Director, National Grid

Electric vehicle charging points at Tynemouth
PA

Close schools to slow virus spread​

Following yesterday’s Cobra meeting, and despite more than 300,000 signatures petitioning for schools to close, the Government has decided against this measure.

Although students and teachers do not represent those at greatest risk of death from the disease, the spread of any infection within schools is likely to be extremely high, and students might unknowingly pass the virus to elderly relatives. While families are justifiably concerned about their ability to work, these disruptions may be a matter not of “if”, but “when” and “for how long”.

The effects of later closures running into the exam season throw up hideous logistical challenges: exam cancellations or deferments will lead to chaos in the education system.

It’s impossible to be sure that closing schools for an extended Easter holiday will avoid these problems, but they may represent our best chance of slowing the spread of the virus while maintaining the progress of our young people.
Murray Morrison, Education expert and founder, online learning resource, Tassomai

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