"We won't forget this": Sacha Lord hits out at Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng over lack of support for hospitality in mini-budget

Sacha Lord has hit out at Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng over the lack of support for hospitality businesses outlined in the latest mini-budget announcement. The Night Time Economy Advisor for Greater Manchester took to Twitter on Sunday afternoon (September 25) to warn the chancellor that hospitality businesses are 'already closing'.

In his mini-budget, Kwasi Kwarteng unveiled a return for tax-free shopping, freezing of beer, cider, wine and spirit duties, and confirmed energy support for firms. Business leaders were positive about these actions within a plan the new Government hopes will lead to steady 2.5 per cent economic growth.

However, there was criticism that more support was needed for parts of the economy heavily hit by the pandemic and likely to come under pressure from squeezed household budgets. Hospitality and retail leaders have said the Chancellor's plan did not address business rates or VAT needed to continue supporting business on the high street that are still recovering from the Covid-19 pandemic.

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Sacha Lord, who also co-founded the Parklife festival in Manchester, previously warned that the budget announcement would mean 'last orders for thousands of hospitality businesses'. He added that the corporation tax cuts were 'completely useless' for businesses not turning a profit.

In his tweet on Sunday, he wrote: "Hospitality closures have started. Businesses ruined, jobs lost. You could have prevented this @KwasiKwarteng. Instead you helped your banker pals in the City of London. Unforgivable.

"We won't forget this. As Chancellor, you've lost support of the 5th biggest sector