Night tsar to proceed with High Court case on delayed re-opening of indoor hospitality
Greater Manchester’s night tsar, Sacha Lord, will proceed with High Court action against the Government to overturn its decision to keep restaurants shut longer than non-essential shops on its road map out of lockdown.
This follows confirmation that the Government has failed to supply any new evidence by yesterday’s deadline (March 17) to justify the delayed reopening of indoor hospitality, Mr Lord said.
The update follows a legal letter issued by Lord and Hugh Osmond (March 12) which demanded “evidence or justification for the prioritisation of non-essential retail over hospitality” by Wednesday, March 17. The case will now move to the High Court for Judicial Review.
Sacha Lord said: “The Government has failed to introduce any new evidence as to why indoor hospitality cannot open on 12 April, alongside non-essential retail and we will now be taking this case to the High Court for an expedited Judicial Review
“While we’re pleased beer gardens will be reopening from 12 April, many venues don’t have the space or financial capabilities to have an outdoor area, and as we know very well in Manchester, the weather is not always kind.”
He added: “Operators have spent hundreds of thousands of pounds creating indoor COVID-secure environments, as advised by Ministers themselves, and we firmly believe these regulated, ventilated venues have much safer measures and greater social distancing in place than retail stores.
“This is not a hospitality versus retail argument, but government decisions must operate on a level playing field and be supported by evidence. We currently see no clear justification for the delay.”
A Parliamentary Select Committee agreed this week that the Government has not provided sufficient data to underpin its decisions on hospitality.
Research has predicted the decision to delay the reopening of indoor hospitality will cost the sector £7bn over the five weeks.
The legal action is led by Oliver Wright, partner, and Lizzie McPeake, solicitor at JMW Solicitors and David Lock QC and Galina Ward of Landmark Chambers on behalf of Sacha Lord, night time economy adviser for Greater Manchester, co-founder of Parklife Festival, co-founder of The Warehouse Project, and Hugh Osmond, founder of Punch Taverns, former director of Pizza Express, and director of Various Eateries.
