Expert Insight


NEWS from


In the world of literature, film, television, comic books and even music, dystopian visions of the future are fairly commonplace. Bleak imaginings of a world ruined specifically by environmental disaster have provided plenty of food for thought, too. From Cormac McCarthy’s The Road to Kate Bush’s Breathing, right through to George Millar’s increasingly bonkers look at a ruined and desolate post-extinction event Australia.


Concerns about the stability of the environment are never too far out of mind and have been pushed further to the forefront of people’s concerns recently following broadcasts of the BBC’s Blue Planet and the like. Currently, pressure groups such as Extinction Rebellion are making their voices heard and there is a sense, perhaps even among some of those traditionally sceptical of climate-change messaging, that immediate action is needed.


Sustainability has never been more important, both personally and professionally. Our businesses must be more sustainable than ever and not just because of the obvious economic advantages. More and more there is a growing sense that we must be greener because it is absolutely necessary.


Tourism and hospitality have a chance to take the lead here and provide a fantastic example for other sectors to follow.


The Environmental Audit Committee has recently finished consulting on sustainable tourism and UKH responded with a number of proposals. The suggestions aim to position hospitality and tourism as best-practice examples of effective sustainability and even offers hospitality as a guinea pig.


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We have called for the Government October 2019


to establish, what we are calling Green Sector Deals, with hospitality acting as a pilot scheme. The Green Sector Deal would support collaboration between Government and business and push proactive support for green initiatives to reduce carbon emissions. For instance, our submission calls on the Government to support the widespread roll-out and use of solar panels in UK hotels.


The proposals also include controls to ensure sustainability, including the introduction of a register of short-term letting properties so that local authorities can measure and manage tourism more effectively; as well as a move away from inflexible measures such as the mooted Tourist Tax which would place additional burdens on businesses while failing to tackle the issue of sustainability.


There seems to be a growing sense that action needs to be taken if we are going to confront the issue of environmental damage. Promoting sustainability in business is not only a great step forward, it increasingly looks compulsory. Hospitality and tourism have an opportunity to lead from the front and be a genuinely positive force for change.


A future in which mohawked bands of marauders rampage across the dust-bowl vistas of a dying world may be the stuff of fiction. But that is no reason for us not to act now.


www.venue-insight.com


Kate Nicholls UKHospitality Chief Executive


UKHOSPITALITY REACTION TO NATIONAL LIVING WAGE


ANNOUNCEMENT Commenting on the recent announcement that the Government will aim to raise the National Living Wage to £10.50 per hour by 2024, UKHospitality Chief Executive Kate Nicholls said:


“The Chancellor’s announcement threatens a double whammy of a further unprecedented cost increase for employers and an adjustment down in terms of age, so we will need a clear regulatory framework with an independent review by Low Pay Commission.


There needs to be a way to adjust NLW levels to react to economic changes; no fixed end point to achieving 66% median earnings and mitigation measures. These measures might sensibly include cutting employment allowance and NICs to help low paid workers keep more money and incentivise job creation.


“Hospitality is keen to attract British talent and part of that process will be to raise entry level wages. However, the cumulative costs of regulation and taxes over the past three years have wiped a third off the margins of hospitality businesses and this move, if marshalled in too quickly, will hurt business, damage jobs and not just stifle growth but reverse it.


The Chancellor wants to be the party of the workers; the Prime Minister, the party of business – the reality is that this country and our economy need it to be both.”


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