Labour says 100,000 North West jobs are on the ‘scrap heap’ due to Winter Plan
New analysis by the Labour Party, using Office of National Statistics employment data shows that more than a million workers are in these sectors simply dismissed as "unviable" by the government.
Labour has accused Rishi Sunak of throwing one hundred thousand North West jobs on the ‘scrap heap’ in his Winter Economy Plan.
The Chancellor confirmed the conclusion of the furlough scheme last week.
Whilst admitting he could “not save every job”, Sunak said he would be introducing a new six-month plan that would see the government top up wages of “viable” roles in winter.
But Labour has retorted that the support package is “fundamentally flawed” – with industries such as weddings, events, nigthlife, music, arts and sports remaining largely closed and therefore unable to access funding (employers must offer staff at least a third of their usual hours under the new regime).
Labour also argued that the new plan actually makes it cheaper to bring back one employee full-time and fire the other, offering little incentive to keep two part-time staff on board.
Lucy Powell MP, Shadow Minister for Business and Consumers, said: “The Chancellor is consigning whole sectors of our economy to the scrap heap, damaging lives and livelihoods, and threatening the recovery. The failure of Ministers to ensure an effective Test, Track and Trace system means that many businesses are still fully or partially shut down. The decision to shut these firms out of the Job Support Scheme adds insult to injury.
“Labour has called for the government to come forward with an effective plan to recover jobs, retrain workers and rebuild businesses. This isn’t it. Even for those who can access it, the Job Support Scheme is badly designed and could lead to a wave of job losses, because the Chancellor’s sums do not add up for businesses. He must think again, before the jobs crisis reaches tipping point.”
Despite generate billions in tax revenue and employ millions of workers, Labour is predicting the sectors hit hardest will be:
Nightlife – including 6,000 people employed in nightclubs, 42,000 people employed in pubs and bars.
Events – including 15,000 event caterers, 950 people organising and running exhibitions and conferences.
Arts – including theatres and cinemas still shut-down or operating at reduced capacity employing 4,000 people.
Weddings – The number of wedding guests allowed has been halved from 30 to 15, which will hit at least 70,000 weddings. This could cost an estimated £4.8bn, with 127,000 nuptials postponed to 2021.
Sports – employing 48,000 people.
Labour has also said that in the North West specifically, nearly 900 nightclubs, 80 cinemas, 4,540 pubs/bars and 1,750 arts venues will not be able to get the support they need from the Winter Plan.
Whilst some have praised the Chancellor’s latest efforts to protect jobs and prevent mass unemployment in Britain, others feel the measures do not go far enough.
People in the hospitality sector – which must now shut at 10pm – have accused the government of unfairly targeting their industry during the pandemic.
The Treasury argued, however, that keeping industries afloat is highest on their agenda.
“Supporting jobs is our absolute priority, which is why we set out a range of new measures on Thursday including the job support scheme to protect millions of jobs, extending the self-employment income support scheme and 15% VAT cut for the hospitality and tourism sectors, and help for businesses in repaying government-backed loans,” they said in a statement.
Shadow Culture Secretary Jo Stevens said that industries were bracing themselves for a winter of further job losses.
“The UK’s cultural sector is a critical part of our national identity – not to mention a valuable part of the economy,” the MP stated.
“These are skilled, specialist jobs in an industry that had been growing until the covid crisis hit.
“So far the government has promised money to prop up our theatres and concert halls but it’s the people who work in them who are suffering and who are excluded from government help.”
News
Rochdale has been named Greater Manchester’s ‘Town of Culture’ for 2025
Emily Sergeant
Rochdale has officially been named Greater Manchester’s Town of Culture for 2025.
Taking over the reins from Bolton – which held the title in 2024 – and following in the footsteps of Stockport before that, which held the title in 2023, and even hosted a massive ‘Town of Culture Weekender’ festival with 50+ free events to celebrate and bring its title year to a close, it’s now the turn of the north-eastern Greater Manchester borough of Rochdale.
Rochdale’s year will build on the town’s already-rich cultural history and international reputation as the home of the co-operative movement.
More than 35 arts organisations will be bringing together an ambitious programme of festivals, exhibitions, events, and performances throughout the year.
Unfamiliar with what the ‘Greater Manchester Town of Culture’ title is all about? It’s an accolade that’s handed out every year to different boroughs across the region.
Bury was the inaugural title-holder 2020 and held onto it in 2021 too due to the COVID pandemic, before being followed by Stalybridge in 2022, Stockport in 2023, and of course, Bolton in the year just gone.
The title celebrates Greater Manchester’s culture and heritage.
As well as getting a new title to shout about, it also sees the towns given a grant from the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) culture fund to help develop a programme of cultural events and activities throughout the year.
Rochdale has been named Greater Manchester’s ‘Town of Culture’ for 2025 / Credit: The Manc Group | Rochdale Council
In Rochdale’s case, you can expect the ‘very best local talent’, as this year is promising to put ‘people power’ centre stage, with residents helping to plan, develop, and deliver a lineup of creative activities, alongside a number of major events.
This includes the popular free days out for families, an exciting new urban arts festival, two different food and drink festivals, a lantern parade, the Ignite Fire Festival, a Pride parade, and so much more.
You can also expect live music performances, a new people’s gallery, and even some major international collaborations that are yet to be announced.
Rochdale is taking over the reins from Bolton, which held the title in 2024 / Credit: Rochdale Council
“Rochdale is a place with a rich cultural history, so it is great to name it Greater Manchester’s town of culture as it’s town hall and town centre enter a new era,” commented Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham as the borough was crowned this week.
“Rochdale submitted a fantastic bid for this which, was incredibly exciting and ambitious, while being firmly rooted in its local talent and deep history.
“We are definitely going to see the very best of what Rochdale has to offer over the next 12 months and people will come from far and wide to see it.”
Featured Image – Rochdale Council
News
The Lowry Theatre undergoes revamp following Biffa Award grant
Danny Jones
The Lowry in Salford Quays has had a bit of TLC with one of its biggest theatre spaces undergoing a pretty significant refurb this past month.
Following a well-deserved grant distributed via the Biffa Award, a multi-million-pound fund that helps to build communities and transform lives through community and environmental projects across the UK, the legendary local theatre received nearly £75k last year.
As a result, all 440 seats and various other aspects of The Lowry‘s Quays Theatre have now been renovated and refurbished.
The short story is, she looks more gorgeous than ever – see for yourself:
Being initially handed over in March 2024, The Lowry was awarded a total of £74,816 to reupholster seating in the venue’s Quays Theatre with new padding and fabric.
After almost 25 years of constant use as one of the most popular theatres in the North, the seats in the Quays Theatre were much in need of a refurb, and with work completed in December, Lowry visitors can now enjoy watching the venue’s wide range of theatre, dance, comedy and drama in comfort.
The work was actually carried out between July and December, with seats being carefully removed in batches and reupholstered off-site.
This was made possible due to the Biffa Award’s most recent ‘Cultural Facilities’ theme, which aims to improve recreation, interest and education, drawing funds from the UK government’s wider Landfill Communities Fund.
The old fabric and padding were disposed of sustainably, with lots of it being repurposed where possible to minimise waste and all the new materials used meet current guidance for safety and quality.
The Lowry’s Deputy Chief Executive and Director of Development, Gwen Oakden, said of the long overdue update:“It is so important that our audiences are able to enjoy our world-class performing arts programme in a comfortable and welcoming space.
“For many visitors to the Quays Theatre, this is their first experience of live performance – often to see a family show or as part of a school trip. We really want it to be the best experience possible, and for them to begin a lifelong relationship with Lowry.
“As a registered charity, without the generous support of this Biffa Award, for which we’re hugely grateful, we couldn’t have carried out this important work for our audiences.
As we head into our 25th Anniversary year, we are delighted to be able to welcome audiences and visitors can enjoy the beautiful and revived Quays Theatre.”
As for the Biffa side of things, Grants Manager Rachel Maidment added: “We are delighted to have supported The Lowry in refurbishing the Quays Theatre seating, ensuring audiences can continue to enjoy performances in comfort.
“Through Biffa’s Cultural Facilities theme, we fund projects that provide engaging and inspiring spaces for communities. The Lowry is a key cultural venue, and we’re proud that our funding, made possible through the government Fund, has helped enhance the experience for visitors for years to come.”
Like most Mancs, we love The Lowry, so here’s to hosting countless more theatregoers in the most comfortable seats possible for generations to come.
We’ve been to some brilliant performances around here of late.
The Manc -
28th September 2020 
