Energy Support Cut for the Meetings Industry
The Meetings Industry Association’s chief executive Kerrin MacPhie, said: “The announcement that the rate of energy bill support will be reduced from 1 April 2023 provides yet another blow for the sector, which starts the year facing fresh uncertainty once more.
“For many, the support package offered by government has served as their organisation’s life support amidst a series of events impacting the sector’s performance. Current energy costs are simply unsustainable, and for a sector that is already experiencing a decrease in demand, merely passing on these costs to counteract them simply isn’t achievable. This will have a devastating effect on operators, many of whose hard earned financial reserves have already been depleted.
“Under the government’s new Energy Bill Relief Scheme, a higher level of support will be provided to businesses deemed ‘energy and trade intensive’ based on the Standardised Classification Code (SIC) code system.
“We understand that certain organisations such as historical sites and buildings and similar visitor attractions, who can host business meetings and events, will be eligible for the larger support package. Having been included based on identified SIC codes, it once again raises that organisations in our sector aren’t classified under one standard consistent code.
“We will be continuing to communicate with the Department for Digital Media Culture and Sport and the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy as well as other governing and industry bodies to warn of the devastating impact this will cause to not only operators but to the entire supply chain.”
Source: EventBase