Fylde coast MPs say it is time to act to save tourism and hospitality jobs withe safe changes to coronavirus lockdown

The coronavirus lockdown which has seen businesses close for safety reasons and staff being furloughed, led to benefit claims soaring by a record 1.6 million and triggered fears that jobs could go permanently as the fallout from coronavirus goes on.

Hospitality and tourism businesses have been hardest hit and pressure is growing on the Government to look at relaxing social distancing rules as coronavirus numbers decrease.

Scott Benton, Conservative MP for Blackpool South, which has been particularly badly hit by the lockdown seeing its hospitality and tourism sector jobs wiped out so far this summer, spoke in Parliament this week calling for a relaxation of the two metre safety rule.

He said: “Blackpool South now has the highest unemployment rate in the entire nation and the dependence of our local economy on the tourism and leisure sectors has left us particularly vulnerable.

“Local businesses now need a successful summer season if they are going to have any chance of survival at all. So will Edward Argar (Minister of State for Health) commit to supporting these sectors and opening up the economy by relaxing the two-metre rule when it is safe to do so?”

He told the Gazette "Government has been clear over the last few weeks people's health comes first and rightfully so. What we have seen locally and nationally now is a sustained drop in the number of new cases.

"What that allows us to do is look at the economy and see if we can safeguard people's jobs and open things up when it is safe to do so.

"We are at the stage where the two metre rule can be relaxed to one metre safely that would then allow the hospitality and tourism sector to open up and for our local businesses to have a brilliant summer season. We have lost out on the first part of the season but arguably if people are less likely to go abroad and holiday here it is an unprecedented opportunity for Blackpool."

Blackpool North and Cleveleys MP Paul Maynard said: "I am very much aware of the impact the COVID-19 pandemic has had on people's jobs and livelihoods in Blackpool North and Cleveleys and the need to support our tourism and hospitality industry.

"There is a very real risk the significant challenges our local communities face will be amplified greatly by the pandemic and it is vital as we move forward that towns like Blackpool, already prime targets for the levelling up agenda, are front and centre of the Government's thoughts as we plan our recovery.

"I continue to make the case for a sector-specific package and welcome the review into social distancing guidelines. If changes, which would greatly assist hospitality businesses, can be made safely, then they should be applied though not necessarily in all settings. However, if guidelines are not adhered to or enforced, then residents will rightly have concerns.

"I recognise there is a balance to be struck between preventing the spread of this virus and kick-starting our local economy. We cannot, however, wait forever and the examples set in other European countries show us a safe path forward can be found."

Labour's Cat Smith, MP for Lancaster and Fleetwood, said this week's rocketing rise in benefits claims rise numbers show that unless the government acts, the UK could face mass unemployment on a scale not seen for decades once the furlough scheme is withdrawn.

She said: "The Government has been slow at every stage of this crisis - they cannot afford to be slow again in responding to this threat. There must be urgent action from the Government to assist the hardest hit regions like ours and and specific support for sectors particularly exposed to the nature of the Covid crisis.

"The Lancashire tourism and hospitality industry on the Fylde Coast must be included. It must prevent additional unemployment, support those who become unemployed and enable the creation of new jobs. This is why Labour is calling for a Back to Work Budget that has one focus – jobs, jobs, jobs”

And on the relaxation of the two metre social distancing rule she said tourism and hospitality businesses needed to see plans set out for the safe way forward.

She said: "The Government needs to bring forward proposals for how the UK can protect public health, while safely easing the 14-day international travel quarantine restrictions.

"If they lift the current public health guidance on keeping two meters social distance it should be alongside publication of the full SAGE evidence on the effectiveness of the measures.”