Covid: Hospitality workers hold Tynwald support protest

Protesters gathered outside the Tynwald buildings

Members of the hospitality sector have gathered outside Tywnald to renew their call for support to be increased in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Protesters want salary support, which ended in May, to continue until at least the end of 2021.

Treasury Minister Alfred Cannan said available funding, such as the extended Business Premises Support Scheme (BPSS), was "fair and reasonable".

Douglas publican John Large said it had not "met the needs of our businesses".

The BPSS, which has been extended to the end of August, pays the equivalent of the cost of commercial rates for each month to firms that prove their turnover is 25% down.

'Not perfect'

Mr Large, who runs the Old Market Inn, said pubs had been hit hard by two recent lockdowns, as "our stock is perishable, we can't store it, can't freeze it, it goes down the drain".

He said the current support had not "really met the needs of our businesses" and added that the prospect of the island's border reopening meant local people were saving to go on holiday at a time when there were no tourists visiting.

John Large said he had lost stock twice in 2021 due to lockdowns

Sandeep Singh, who runs Victoria Grill Peri Peri Chicken takeaway, said his profits were 20% down due to the cancellation of the TT, but that meant he did not qualify for the support.

"We can't get that business back," he said.

Mr Cannan told Tynwald the sector had received almost £19m in direct support and a further £12m indirectly through a reduction in VAT on food to 5%.

He said hospitality was not alone in being hit by the pandemic, adding that although the support schemes were "not perfect", they had protected jobs, businesses and families.

"We will continue to work to provide the appropriate stimulus and support where we feel and believe it is applicable," he added.