Greater Manchester’s Night Time Economy Advisor Sacha Lord has today launched a festive campaign to support the city-region’s hospitality industry. The scheme aims to help the sector by encouraging the public to support their favourite restaurants, bars, hotels, theatres and gig venues by gifting family and friends a night out during the Christmas season.
With a month to go until Christmas, many people across the region will be heading into the city for office parties and festive events, but after a difficult few years, Manchester’s hospitality sector is still struggling as it recovers from the pandemic, and grapples with rising energy and food costs. The campaign will draw attention to local venues which provide Christmas gift vouchers or deposit bookings, and aims to remind the public of different present ideas.
Sacha Lord, the city-region’s Night Time Economy Adviser, said: “Treating loved ones to a night out not only gives them memories to cherish, but will go a long way in supporting local landlords and independent venues across Greater Manchester. We all know the difficulties that our favourite restaurants, bars, theatres and hotels are going through, and January is always the bleakest time of the year for the sector. Not only is footfall typically down as people choose to save and stay indoors, but as a result staff often find they aren’t booked for as many shifts as normal.
“By buying a voucher or putting a deposit down now, we can support the sector through the difficult post-Christmas period, and move away from gifting presents that just sit unwanted in the cupboard. What better way to help your favourite venue, and the local workforce, than gifting a loved one an evening out this Christmas.”
A number of venues across the city centre have thrown their weight behind the scheme and are offering Christmas vouchers. Restaurants and bars involved include Cocoa Cabana Chocolatiers, Alex's Bakery, The Barking Dog Urmston, Atlas Bar, Three Little Words, Albert's Schloss, Calcio! sports bar, 53Two, Riva Altrincham and Another Hand.
Other establishments backing the campaign include Abeja Tapas Bar in Stockport, A Tavola Gastronomia Siciliana in High Peak, WOOD Manchester, Con Club in Altrincham, Hawksmoor, Menagerie, the Northern Quarter’s Cane & Grain, and Platzki. Hotels supporting the initiative include the King Street Townhouse, Hotel Football in Old Trafford and Motel One.
A number of Manchester's cultural institutions have also joined the scheme from The Royal Exchange and The Palace Theatre, to The Opera House and The Stoller Hall. More operators taking part will be announced over the coming weeks.
The campaign has also been supported by the Mayor’s Office and the Greater Manchester Combined Authority. Last week, the night time tsar spoke out about his fears for the hospitality industry following the Chancellor Jeremy Hunt's autumn statement. He said he feared venues could close "at a faster rate than during the pandemic" following the budget announcement and warned a reduction in consumer spending would create a "severe contraction in the sector", in what he described as a "very sad state of affairs".
Taking to Twitter, Lord wrote: “Operators are being squeezed beyond their ability, and I fear we will now see huge cuts in staffing, reductions in opening hours and venues closing at a faster rate faster than seen during the pandemic. We will now see a downturn in consumer spending over the coming weeks and months, at a time when operators need the most support as they recover from the hangover of pandemic related debt.
“Disposable income underpins the UK economy and I’m hugely concerned that the policies outlined today will create a severe contraction in the sector. Spending on luxuries such as dining out, is naturally the first to go in times of cutbacks.”
The general public can view all venues taking part in the Christmas initiative here , or by looking out for posters in venue windows.
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