NOW SUPERCHARGE LONDON RECOVERY

UNPRECEDENTED HELP PACKAGE NEEDED TO GET CAPITAL BACK ON FEET, SAY BUSINESS LEADERS

- Jonathan Prynn and David Bond

LONDON’S business and political leaders today called for an unprecedented package of measures to help “supercharge” London’s bounceback from the worst disruption it has suffered in peacetime.

The demands came after Boris Johnson yesterday lifted the advice to work from home seven days earlier than expected because of falling Covid case numbers. Other Plan B restrictions will end next week.

The move was welcomed with relief after a painful six-week “lockdown lite” that emptied the streets of the West End and City once again and cost central London’s economy an estimated £500 million in lost trade.

Writing in the Standard today Professor Kevin Fenton, London regional director of public health, said we could now “look forward to life without restrictions and the London we love bouncing back” while still bearing in mind the virus has not gone away.

Demands from business leaders for measures from the Government to help London get back on its feet and survive coming tax and inflation “headwinds” include:

• A further deferral of the VAT and business tax reliefs that are due to end in April.

• A delay in the planned increase in National Insurance.

• A massive international marketing campaign to lure foreign tourists back to London.