200,000 signatures for Birmingham restaurant’s petition

A petition launched by a renowned Birmingham restaurant calling for the Government to give “support and clarity” for the hospitality industry during the coronavirus pandemic has gathered over 200,000 after just 48 hours.

Following the Prime Minister’s statement on Monday advising the public to avoid, bars, restaurants and bars, chef Alex Claridge of The Wilderness started a petition urging Johnson for clarity and to take responsibility for the situation putting the livelihoods and jobs of three million people on the line.

The petition asks for a review of:

A clear support – financial and practical – laid out by the government for both staff and business owners alike
A decision from the government – because if we take the decision to close any form of insurance is no longer an option
Clarity for guests to ensure their safety
Transparency on timeline so businesses can prepare logistically and rationally for times ahead

Claridge said: “Boris shunned his responsibility and duty to the 3m people who work in the hospitality industry in the UK, the third largest industry in Britain, and instead forced business owners and employers up and down the country to make a decision which should not have been in their hands.

“I couldn’t sit by and watch the hard work my team, my peers and 3m other people crumble before my eyes overnight and started a petition to ask for our questions to be answered.

“The 75 billion contribution the hospitality industry adds to the economy annually must, we argue, afford us at least that.”