Following the Prime Minister’s statement yesterday advising the public to avoid bars, restaurants and pubs, but not banning then, activist and chef, Alex Claridge of the award-winning The Wilderness in Birmingham, and his team have started a petition.
The petition urges Boris Johnson for clarity and to take responsibility for the situation putting the livelihoods and jobs of 3bn people on the line.
The petition, which Claridge started late in the evening yesterday, has already gained at the time of writing 50,000 signatures and mounting with support from celebrity chefs up and down the country, such as Angela Hartnett and Jason Atherton.
Claridge said, ‘Last night, Boris Johnson advised the public to avoid bars, restaurants and pubs but did not tell us we must stop operating. Last night, Boris shunned his responsibility and duty to the 3 billion 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 3 billion 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.
'I urge you to sign the petition asking the government the following questions:
We are asking for a review of:
o A clear support - financial and practical - laid out by the government for both staff and business owners alike
o A decision from the government - because if we take the decision to close any form of insurance is no longer an option
o Clarity for guests to ensure their safety
o Transparency on timeline so businesses can prepare logistically and rationally for times ahead'
As well as the petition, Claridge has set up a fund to help those affected and is collating the heart-breaking stories of those in the sector.
The petition can be found at this web address: http://chng.it/4SnwsDCT