'Very little consideration' for small independent businesses in the government's Hospitality Sector Council, says British Takeaway Campaign

'Very little consideration'  has been given to small independent businesses in the formation of the government's Hospitality Sector Council, the British Takeaway Campaign has said, following its inauguration yesterday.

Formed to help deliver the government's hospitality strategy set out in July to ensure the sector's recovery post-pandemic, the council is being co-chaired by business minister Paul Scully and Prezzo's executive chair, Karen Jones.

Members include an array of sector leaders, from Lime Wood Group and Home Grown Hotels chief executive Robin Hutson to chief executive of Nando's UK and Ireland Colin Hill, as well as industry body chiefs Kate Nicholls of UKHospitality and chief executive of the British Beer and Pub Association, Emma McClarkin.

Representing independent businesses are Nisha Katona, the founder of Mowgli Street Food and Hawksmoor co-founder Will Beckett. 

Paul Scully said the move marked a real 'Avengers Assemble' moment for the industry, thanks to the experts on board "who'll be driving the reopening, recovery and resilience of the sector."

Reacting to the launch, however, the British Takeaway Campaign (BTC), an industry representative for UK independent restaurants and takeaway businesses, who offered its participation on the council but received no response from the government, decried the council's lack of representation of small independent businesses, stating it was "overwhelmingly focused on big, corporate chains, with little regard for the huge variety of cuisines, ethnically diverse entrepreneurs and independent business owners who make up the sector beyond London."

Hi @scullyp – we’ve written to you many times asking to support you. Why have you excluded us from the Hospitality Council in favour of bigger businesses? We represent thousands of small restaurants across Britain.https://t.co/8IzhbxjrNe

— British Takeaway Campaign (@GB_Takeaway) September 29, 2021

Vice chair of the BTC Andrew Crook said: "The government are clearly not interested in the views and experiences of small, independent businesses. This council is London-centric, big-business focused and seems to have been put together with very little consideration for the hundreds of thousands of hard-working, independent businesses who fought to survive the pandemic and served their communities throughout."

Night Time Economy Adviser for Greater Manchester Sacha Lord echoed the group's sentiment, saying he welcomed the decision to form a council, but that "inviting the colossal corporates like Deliveroo, Starbucks, Burger King and Nandos, misses the point.

"What about the small, family run independents? They are the real backbone of the UK economy."