Call for rent moratorium for licensed trade tenants
Street Feast founder Jonathan Downey, is calling out to the Government for a six-month moratorium on rent for licensed trade tenants devastated by the coronavirus outbreak.
Wetherspoon chairman Tim Martin backed his campaign and has said:
“ The government should impose this moratorium, as suggested by Jonathan Downey, which would formalise the position of tenants who generally cannot afford to pay rent and aren’t paying rent anyway.
“Tenants are keen to clear a path for a resumption of trading once pubs, restaurants and leisure facilities are able to open. A moratorium would be an enormous help and would be a vital reinforcement of the dynamic actions of the UK government so far. We understand New York mayor Bill de Blasio has already instigated a moratorium on rent.
“The UK government has undertaken major concessions in respect of residential property. Wetherspoon has written to its own landlords requesting a waiver of rent for the next three months and has offered a waiver of rent for its own licensed trade tenants and sub-tenants.”
