Dear Constituent,

 

Throughout the Coronavirus crisis, it has been clear that the way to most effectively control the virus – and therefore save lives – will unfortunately do a lot of damage to the economy. We have rightly been told to spend as much time as possible at home and to avoid unnecessary social contact with others to stop the virus from spreading.

 

This has, of course, been difficult for all of us. Not seeing family and friends for months on end can leave us feeling lonely, miserable and isolated, and I’m very glad that some of the most stringent lockdown measures can now be eased.

 

It’s not just our personal relationships and wellbeing that social distancing has made very difficult though. Many businesses rely on people getting together, most notably the hospitality industry.

 

Since March, our pubs, bars, restaurants and hotels have largely been closed to customers, who have been told to stay at home instead. I have heard from many of these businesses within my constituency and I know that they feel that the future is very uncertain. Many – though by no means all – have received some financial support through various government schemes, but there are still major concerns about what comes next.

 

This week the Government has announced that many of these businesses that have had to close will soon be allowed to open once more. I am very glad that health experts believe that this is now safe to do and I know many businesses will welcome the news. The “two metre rule” is also to be relaxed which is essential for many places to reopen.

 

However, I think the Government needs to think about how to support those businesses that will struggle to function properly even with a “one metre rule” due to restricted space. Then there are the hospitality businesses who have not received any support, for instance some small events companies run from home. These businesses need urgent support or they may disappear altogether by the time we return to something like normality.

 

Balancing public health and the economy was always going to be incredibly difficult, but it’s essential for the hospitality sector across Tameside that the Government gets it right. I believe we can also all play an important part by supporting our local restaurants, pubs, bars, hotels and other hospitality businesses when they reopen next month. These are important community hubs and we should do what we can to help protect them.

 

Andrew Gwynne, MP for Denton and Reddish, has signed a letter to the Home Secretary calling for action to deal with the issue of fires on open moorland and peatland.

The letter to Home Secretary Priti Patel is also signed by the Greater Manchester’s Mayor Andy Burnham, Deputy Mayor Baroness Beverley Hughes, and four other Greater Manchester MPs.

The letter calls on the Home Secretary to introduce new legislation to ban disposable barbecues on open moorland and peatland, and to increase funding for fire and rescue services to ensure they have the resources they need to effectively tackle moorland fires.

The calls follow a succession of major moorland fires in and around Greater Manchester over the past few years, some of which are believed to have been started by barbecues.

Andrew Gwynne said:

“After last year’s extensive fire on the moors around Tameside – putting many residents in considerable danger – and subsequent smaller fires on moors around Greater Manchester, Lancashire and Derbyshire, the time has come for stricter controls and better resourcing for Fire and Rescue Services to deal with these issues.

 

“These fires have become far too common and we need action to protect residents, the moorlands and our Fire and Rescue Services.”

 

Andrew Gwynne, MP for Denton and Reddish, has joined with fellow Stockport MPs to support Stockport’s Future High Streets Fund bid.

The bid, submitted by Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council, proposes ‘StockRoom’ – a vision for the centre of Stockport, including repurposing the former sites of Marks & Spencer and BHS to create a community learning hub.

The proposed £14.5 million investment would be an integral part of the regeneration of Stockport.

Three Stockport MPs – Navendu Mishra (Stockport), Andrew Gwynne (Denton and Reddish) and William Wragg (Hazel Grove) – have written to the Housing, Communities and Local Government Secretary Robert Jenrick to support the submission for the Future High Streets Fund.

The Future High Streets Fund is a £1 billion fund to invest in towns across England.

Andrew Gwynne said:

“There are really ambitious plans for Stockport town centre, the benefits of which will be felt right across the borough and beyond.

 

“That’s why I’m supporting the bid for StockRoom because it’s yet another innovative idea which will bring people back into our town.”