On 22 January, Bishop Helen-Ann spoke during the House of Lords debate on the impact of government policy on hospitality and retail sectors. Read her full speech below or watch it above.
My Lords, it is a great honour to follow the noble Lord, Lord Forbes of Newcastle and to welcome him to your Lordships’ House. I also extend a welcome to other noble lords making their maiden speeches today. I thank my noble friend, Lord Forbes for his excellent maiden speech. In this speech, my noble friend made some immensely wise comments which superbly illustrate his capacity for, and commitment to the work he will undertake in this place. His mention of the values that have shaped his life are those that we should all aspire to and live out in our collective endeavours in this House. His calling our attention to the importance of inclusion is vital.
My noble friend’s years of dedicated service to Local Government and his commitment to creating thriving communities will greatly benefit this House. His lived experience, coupled with his kind heart, fierce mind, and strong spirit, underpins his integrity, determination, and resolve to seek the welfare of people and communities, especially those in deprivation. A keen listener and one who is ready to learn, he is well-equipped for his new role in your Lordships’ House. I wish him well and look forward to working with him in this place.
My Lords, I turn now to the subject of this debate and thank the noble lady, Baroness Monckton of Dallington Forest for bringing it to your Lordships House. I am aware that with the contributions of my noble friend, your Lordships are getting a double dip of northeast input, but I hope that this adds value.
Just yesterday, two chefs from Michelin-starred restaurants in Newcastle and Northumberland warned of major hospitality job losses caused by higher tax bills. Cal Byerley and Kenny Atkinson said many businesses were ‘on their last legs.’ For some hospitality venues in Newcastle, it is too late, with popular and long-standing venues having closed their doors permanently even in recent weeks. The Northeast Chamber of Commerce reports that many businesses used the temporary reliefs during COVID and subsequent energy-crisis support to cover fixed costs rather than invest, meaning resilience remains thin.
On the upside, in Newcastle city centre, bus reform and subsidised young-person fares have increased evening and weekend footfall, helping the nighttime economy. Regeneration investments make the city a more attractive visitor destination, which supports hospitality and retail spending. Information given to me by the Northeast Chamber of Commerce reports that the visitor economy supports around 63,000 jobs and contributes over £6.6bn to the regional economy, representing 8-11% of regional GDP. The Government’s announcement today of the investment in cultural organisations is therefore welcome in its potential to boost the broader economic landscape. Similarly, the overnight visitor levy could be a tool to invest in communities and support better jobs. Time will tell. Will the noble Lord the minister be monitoring its impact?
In Northumberland, coordinated tourism strategies promote heritage assets like Alnwick Castle and the coastal trail. This draws millions of visitors annually, boosting accommodation, cafés, and retailers in towns like Bamburgh and Berwick-upon-Tweed. However, these gains are strongly seasonal: a café might be thriving in August but struggle in January, even as fixed costs remain year-round. Government policy — through business rates, labour regulation, and demand-side investment — exerts powerful and concrete effects on retail and hospitality in Newcastle and Northumberland.
An underlying theme my Lords, is what policy does at a granular level to communities and their ability to thrive in the short, medium, and longer-term. This is a point that the noble baroness made so eloquently in her opening speech. My noble friend Lord Forbes and I have in common that we both grew up in the Northeast, as well as the year of our birth (1973: actually, the year Sunderland won the FA cup). In that regard we will both have similar memories of the impact on communities of the decline of industry and the knock-on effect of that on the economic prosperity of the region, and on people, the effects of which are long-standing and inter-generational.
And so my Lords, the challenge now, which is also an opportunity, is not only to craft a policy environment that balances cost pressures with sustainable demand and opportunity for growth but is to truly set forth a long-term vision that enables the welfare and flourishing of people and communities; not driven by fear but drawn by confidence and hope and economic sustainability.