Consumers have seen more than 17,000 additional outdoor seating on the streets of England in a year as part of a government strategy to help businesses recover from the pandemic.
According to an analysis by PwC, councils have approved requests for at least 17,045 additional outdoor seating, mainly for pubs, bars and cafes, but also hairdressers, hotels, co-working spaces and luxury retailers.
The accelerated lane licenses are valid between three and 12 months and were introduced by the UK government last July to help businesses increase customer numbers outdoors and partially offset the impact of social distancing and indoor restrictions on revenue .
At least 1,842 of 3,366 applications were filed in March, April and May of this year as the English roadmap unfolded.
Of the 3,366 applications that PwC pursued through June, 2,061 were approved, 350 rejected, 490 pending and 11 withdrawn.
The hotspots include Westminster, home to more than 3,700 bars, restaurants and pubs and with 1,310 more than a third of the total applications, Kensington & Chelsea (442), Hackney (95) and Islington (74) in London.
Across the country there was great interest from Liverpool (348), Newcastle (103) and Bradford (54).
The absolute number of additional seats is likely to be significantly higher in view of the 490 pending applications and the chair data available for only a third of the applications.
A seat or cover in a casual restaurant or coffee shop can fetch around £ 6,800 a year, according to PwC.
The government has extended the granting of permits until September 30 of next year.
Zelf Hussain, restructuring partner in retail at PwC, said: “The acquisition of these lane licenses shows that for all forms of hospitality, how much effort they put in to keep going and how every penny counts, especially in times of financial crisis.” .
“The latest restrictions on social distancing are being lifted, but we’ve seen companies encourage customers to keep using their outdoor spaces.
“Some customers are still more comfortable being outside, especially during the summer months, which helps allay any lingering concerns about an indoor meeting.”
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