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02
Feb 2021
Andrew Jones MP calls for debate on stricken conference sector
Harrogate and Knaresborough MP Andrew Jones has called for a Commons debate on the stricken conference industry.
Speaking in Parliament, Mr Jones said the sector was "central to the economy" of both towns he represented but faced "real hardship" due to the pandemic.
Mr Jones said:
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Leader of the House of Commons Jacob Rees-Mogg did not agree to the request but said event venues and organisers could make use of initiatives such as the furlough scheme and various grants.
He added:
Judith Rogerson, the Liberal Democrat parliamentary spokesperson for Harrogate and Knaresborough, described Mr Rees-Mogg's response as "wholly inadequate".
She added:
The convention centre was turned into a Nightingale hospital at breakneck speed last spring for covid patients in Yorkshire and the Humber, but has yet to treat a single person with coronavirus. It has been used for CT scans.
Knock-on effect
The effects of the pandemic on the conferences and events sector in the town have been profound, with several businesses closing their doors for good.
The Kimberley Hotel closed in December, citing the impact of covid and in October family events firm Joe Manby Ltd folded after 46 years.
This month would have seen the convention centre host the BIGGA turf management exhibition, which is an annual three-day conference for green-keepers that is one of the year's biggest money-spinners for Harrogate — with hotels full and bar tills ringing.
Mr Jones urged Boris Johnson to provide financial support for the conference and exhibition industry at Prime Minister's Questions last year but that plea also went unheeded.
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