The collapse of the Executive has been branded an “unnecessary disaster” by one of Northern Ireland’s leading hospitality entrepreneurs.
Bill Wolsey, whose Beannchor Group includes The Merchant and Bullitt hotels along with a host of bars and restaurants, told LCN politicians were failing to make the most of Northern Ireland’s Protocol possibilities.
He said: “This unnecessary disaster is particularly disappointing given that we were starting to see green shoots with businesses beginning to invest in Northern Ireland due to our unique position within the UK and the EU.
“This is a missed opportunity by our politicians, who should be making efforts to capitalise on the ‘best of both worlds’ situation that Northern Ireland offers.”
Hospitality Ulster chief Colin Neill added his voice to a chorus of disappointment but told LCN he was hopeful progress to help the sector could still be made in the absence of a functioning Executive.
“It certainly brings its challenges because we need government working with us to rebuild the industry,” he said. “We need a dedicated recovery strategy for hospitality. Northern Ireland’s fourth largest employer can’t be ignored.
“I’m hopeful that the health minister will be able to remove restrictions that still exist as soon as possible. We also met with the economy minister to campaign for a consumer marketing programme to be launched immediately – something directed at our domestic market, to get people off their seats, break the habit of sitting in the house and motivate them to come back out.”
Northern Ireland business bodies also pulled no punches in their criticism of the DUP’s decision to stand Paul Givan down as first minister, claiming the resulting uncertainty ative increases headwinds for the economy at the worst possible time and damages the region’s international reputation.
“Combined with the directive to suspend checks at ports, this decision creates an unsustainable level of uncertainty for businesses, at a time when they need support and stability,” NI Chamber President Paul Murnaghan and Chief Executive Ann McGregor, above, said in a statement. “It also has the potential to seriously damage local and international business confidence.
“The ramifications of this are far-reaching, impacting not just on business. People are facing significant challenges, with societal issues like fuel poverty affecting individuals and families already. Another political crisis exacerbates these problems and stalls progress for everyone.”
Gordon Milligan, Chair of the Institute of Directors Northern Ireland, added: “Companies thrive on stability which creates the environment necessary to grow and drive the economic prosperity we all strive to deliver for this region. Not only does this damage our reputation on the international stage, it comes at a time when we are all trying to navigate the impact of COVID-19 and the growing cost of living crisis.
“It is incumbent on political leaders to do what the business community always does – step up to the plate and work together to find a solution. We simply cannot continue to stumble from one political crisis to the next.”
Read more in the upcoming edition of the LCN Yearbook.