Strike action ‘another dagger’ for London businesses crippled by Covid

Matt Harris, 49, runs the wine bar Planet of the Grapes and Fox Fine Wines. Londonsaid the strike action was just “another dagger” for the already struggling hospitality business.

“The impact of COVID-19 is big enough that we are still paying off our debt,” Harris told PA news agency.

“We start the week at a loss and have to work hard to reach breakeven.

“All the hospitality businesses I’ve spoken to HMRC Tax invoices with staggered late payments.

“And it basically shows that they’re all, essentially, busts.”

Members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport Union (RMT) were due to take industrial action from Saturday in a long-running dispute over wages, employment and conditions.

But the strike was called off on Friday RMT He told railroad bosses it “makes sense”, but added, “If I have to take strike action within the next six months to secure a deal, I will.”

Harris said previous industrial action and the threat of further strikes are crippling his business and others in the industry.

He said: government has allowed nine weeks of strikes this year, which is a quarter of the weeks we have been active.

“And we are given absolutely nothing to make up for the loss of income.

“I support the fact that workers should get decent and fair wages. It is exerting

“I think we should give subsidies to businesses affected by the strike.

“And they should continue to cut taxes so businesses can survive the torrent years ahead.”

Harris said small business owners like him have gone from resilience to rage and are “fed up” by the complete lack of support.

“Nothing will happen until people realize how serious the situation is,” he said.

royal mail Employees plan to go out on Black Friday and Cyber ​​Monday, two of the busiest online shopping days of the year.

Jessica Taylor, 36, a textile artist and illustrator who runs her own business, Loadofolbobbins, said a postal strike could be a “nightmare,” but it’s important that workers get pay raises. emphasized that.

“Anything that impacts the postal service can be a potential nightmare if you have an order that requires delivery,” Taylor told PA.

“There is always the possibility that a customer will be upset with a delayed or lost item.”

But supporting strikers is in the interests of small businesses, Taylor said.

“What is often forgotten when things like this are happening is that the workers striking during this action are all my potential customers and their wages are rising in a meaningful way. That means they have more money to spend on small businesses like mine.

“As a result, we can contribute to building a healthy and stable economy.

“Do you think a million-pound CEO is shopping at my business?”

Taylor said it’s a scary time for small business owners, many of whom find it impossible to stay open amid rising costs and declining consumer spending.

she said:

“People are terrified of being able to get their daily essentials.

“Fortunately, most of what I make isn’t particularly resource heavy in terms of energy, but suppliers are driving up costs, and for my fellow businesses with small brick-and-mortar stores and studios with kilns, it’s now a big deal. It’s a really scary time.

“I’ve already seen stern calls to close shops completely.”

Earlier this week, a major hospitality industry group warned that a third of Britain’s pubs, restaurants and hotels could go bankrupt by the end of the year as the costs of running a business become impossible.

They said many hospitality businesses were on the verge of a “business cost crisis” due to rising utility costs and food prices.