GIVEN the rapidly changing nature of the Covid-19 crisis, it has been a challenge for all levels of government to provide effective policy responses to support our economy throughout these awful times.
While Retail NI welcomes the NI Executive’s initiatives such as the small business grants, twelve months’ rate relief and the five stage plan, we believe it is now time to make greater progress on rebooting and reopening our economy.
The reality is that until a vaccine is produced, we will have to find creative ways to safely work around this virus and ensure that we have an economy which provides jobs and investment for Northern Ireland. High levels of poverty will only exacerbate the mental and physical health problems in our community.
In our discussions with Executive Ministers, Retail NI has outlined the need for an intensive one-year recovery plan and stimulus package to address the immediate challenges facing our local economy. We also need to give some thought on what a longer-term economic plan would look like.
Before this crisis, Retail NI as part of Trade NI, published its Vision 2030 plan, setting out how to create 65,000 new jobs and transform Northern Ireland’s economy into an eco-system of innovation. Our plan is even more relevant now than before.
Since the beginning of this crisis, footfall and trade in our town and city centres has all but collapsed causing huge damage to our economy.
The NI Executive needs to begin work on a reopening plan for our town and city centres, which will ensure the right health and safety guidance for retailers, key businesses in town centres, their employees and also consumers.
The Dublin City Centre BID and the UK High Streets Taskforce have both published some key recommendations on what this would look like in terms of social distancing, deep cleaning, signposting, stewarding and public transport.
We also want to see a target date in June set for the reopening of the rest of our retail sector, in line with the plan announced for England by the Prime Minister, of course predicated on the medical evidence. The retailers who are currently on the ‘closed’ list will need time to consult and train staff, produce a social distancing plan and retrofit their stores to ensure the safety of shoppers and staff.
Further help for independent retailers is also needed to support them in the move towards re-opening and planning for the future such as the small business grants being extended for multi-site independent retailers.
Retail NI is also asking government for longer-term support for our high streets, including rejuvenating retail destinations such as town centres and high streets by creating a town centres fund, which BIDs and others with good ideas can access, as well as establishing an advisory group (with retail represented) on economic recovery.
Also, for the wider economy, there is the need to commission a study to look at how Northern Ireland in the short, medium and longer-terms can build its economic resilience, learning the lessons from the Covid-19 situation.
Our retail sector will play a key role in the economic recovery of Northern Ireland and will provide employment and investment in the challenging times ahead and we need to learn lessons from these past few months and make sure that our high streets can not only recuperate, but are ready for the challenges of the 21st century.
