“The protection of retail and leisure jobs is our utmost priority, and while the Government’s measures take the first step in supporting the West End’s recovery, without consumer confidence to travel and visit; this situation is highly precarious with 50,000 jobs are at risk. With no international visitors and mixed messaging surrounding the safety of returning to work and using public transport, we urgently seek clarity of Government messaging for our businesses to survive. With the UK-EU trade deal deadline also looming, we need to ensure that destinations that rely on international visitors, which have been so hard hit by the pandemic, are accounted for in longer-term recovery plans including levelling up on tax-free shopping with the EU.”

“Despite the reopening of retail in England on 15th June footfall across UK high streets remains 57.2% lower than last year.  Regional cities, the largest high street locations in the UK have been even harder hit with footfall still 70.4% lower than in 2019.  And in Central London the economic hub of the UK, the picture is even worse, with footfall languishing at 76.2% lower than last year only improving by around a quarter from a low of -92.4% over the first four weeks of lock down.”