However, it’s feared a £6,000 support grant will not be enough to support its retailers. For many shop owners, this figure is unlikely to cover even a week’s loss of income, let alone rent, utilities, and wages. This isn’t to mention the complete lack of support for everyone else who works in the sector. Be it designers or the countless freelancers who buttress the industry, there is a gaping hole in the government’s financial welfare package.
Elsewhere, businesses such as hospitality, leisure, and personal care services, are set to be given up to £18,000 per premises. Rishi Sunak, chancellor of the exchequer, has also pledged £300 million to the film and TV industry, which makes £4 billion a year, to support their Production Restart Scheme. Has the fashion industry, once again, been neglected in government policy? All signs point to yes.