Struggling West Midlands businesses call for support in turning their fortunes around
Struggling night time businesses in the West Midlands have made a direct call to the Government for support in turning their fortunes around.
Business secretary Peter Kyle MP met with members of West Midlands Mayor Richard Parker’s Night Time Economy Commission during a visit to the region on Thursday (December 18).
There, he set out his plans for growth and support for the ailing sector as well as hearing concerns they have such as soaring costs and business rates.
Mr Parker set up the commission to understand problems faced by night time venues across the region and will receive a report with a series of recommendations on how he can support the industry in the new year.
And the Mayor said the meeting with Mr Kyle, which was also attended by Birmingham City Council leader John Cotton and Wolverhampton councillor Chris Burden, who is chair of the commission, was “productive”.
Mr Parker said: “I asked Peter if he would have the time to sit down with members of my commission at the Sunflower Lounge in Birmingham.
“Peter set out his plans for growth and the fact he was here to listen to some of the concerns they had about the challenge they faced going forward.
“These include increasing taxes and concerns about what will happen with business rates.
“Also, we discussed the challenges they face as a result of changing habits and behaviours of young people and also many of them have city or town centre high street locations and some of those are being hollowed out and the reduction in footfall is impacting them.
“We had a very wide ranging conversation. We agreed we’d keep in touch with Peter and I’d be a conduit for that.
“I talked about the investment I want to make in our high streets and markets to increase footfall and the improvements public transport will hopefully make.
“Peter promised to go away and consider some of the issues they shared with us more fully.
“It was a very productive and pragmatic discussion and we all went away thinking Peter listened.
“Now, it’s really about what we can do over the years ahead to support the night time economy here and the businesses that feel vulnerable.”
The sector has struggled for a number of years and in Birmingham alone, the number of venues has shrunk by more than 25 per cent since 2020.
This worrying trend saw four city venues close in just one month earlier this year.
Mr Parker said: “We all want to reverse that trend but some of this is driven by changing habits, particularly by young people who are going out less, spending less and drinking less.
“But we understand the cultural and creative life and those sectors that support it, including hospitality, are fabric to making Birmingham and the West Midlands a place where people can enjoy themselves.
“We are really keen to support the industry. There were venue managers, restaurant owners and supporters (at the meeting), and they are under a number of cost pressures at the moment.
“Peter was clear, as I was, that the best way we can help address their concerns will be by stabilising some of the macro-economic issues here.
“Interest rates came down again which is helpful for them.
“What we can do is look at ways in which business rate reform can help the sector but also we know one of the best ways we can help the sector is by creating more jobs and growing our economy.”
