Simon Richards, treasurer of beam and managing director of Convenus commented:
“ The Chancellor’s Growth Plan Statement contains many new measures that will be beneficial to all beam members as businesses so we welcome these initiatives, notably the previously announced energy cap, and the cancellation of increases in Corporation Tax, National Insurance and alcoholic drink duties. The liberalisation of some planning regulations may also help our venue members who want to develop land and expand.
“However, while in-person events have been returning strongly since March, the business events, accommodation and meetings sector is still in recovery, with many members struggling with already higher costs and to repay bounceback loans.
“We all urgently need to educate Nigel Huddleston’s replacement as the Minister responsible for our industry about the specific needs of the sector and ensure that business events is high on his or her agenda, not well down below sport and other events.
“This makes the need for all business events sector companies to join the BVEP campaign and register under one of three SIC Codes, particularly 82302, even more urgent so that the Minister and the Government have the data to recognise the sector’s issues more clearly.”
