CONFIDENCE has been voiced that Keighley's high street businesses CAN bounce back from the ravages of Covid-19.

Sector bosses in the town have moved to allay fears – mirrored nationally – that many retailers may not reopen post-lockdown.

But the head of a famous Keighley brewery has warned that the Government's "roadmap" unveiled this week will be disastrous for the brewing and pub industry.

There has already been one major change to the town's retail picture in recent weeks.

Toyland, better known over the years as Conways, has moved out of the Cavendish Street shop it had occupied for over half a century and is looking for alternative premises in the town.

And Evans Cycles, owned by Sports Direct, is moving in to the vacated outlet.

Steve Seymour – manager of Keighley's Airedale Shopping Centre – feels there is a place for high streets and that businesses can thrive, provided there's support from the Government.

"Rates are higher than rent in most cases and they need to be cut by 30 or 35 per cent," he said.

"Landlords have to play a part too. There is a place for the high street if we all work together.

"We have over 100 independents in Keighley – it is a thriving sector and that gives us a strong footing."

However, Timothy Taylor's chief executive Tim Dewey fears that the timetable set out for the hospitality trade to exit lockdown will cripple many breweries and pubs.

Outdoor hospitality is scheduled to resume on April 12, but pubs will not be able to welcome customers back inside until May 17 at the earliest.

"This shows the Government has a total lack of understanding of our sector and its commercial realities," said Mr Dewey.

In an open letter to the town's MP, Robbie Moore, he added: "We are plunged into a ‘no man’s land’ of the worst of all worlds – being forced to brew to support those few that do reopen in April, but without the economies of scale of production or distribution to make this profitable. I am confident that we will lose more money from mid-April to mid-May than we are losing currently with all pubs shut.

"But we will have to brew – and suffer these losses – to support our customers.

"The commercial dynamics are equally bad for pubs, for the same reason – they have all of the operating costs of reopening but with a fraction of the revenue."

On the issue of retail, Mr Moore said the past year had been "extremely tough" for high street businesses across the constituency.

He added: "Whilst Government support has been provided to high street shops – through furlough payments, a business rates holiday, support grants and Government-backed loans – nothing will replace the many months of lost income due to the pandemic. Many businesses have adapted to the swift change in trading conditions and they should be praised for this. Others have been unable to due to the nature of their businesses.

“I know from speaking to businesses that there is a great deal of appetite for reforming business rates. I want to see a system that minimises the burden on businesses as far as possible.

“The Government has in fact started a review into the business rates system as a whole. A call for evidence was completed last October with the outcome of the review due for publication. I look forward to seeing the potential proposals that we can implement to improve the system to help stimulate the recovery of our local high streets following the economic shock of Covid-19.”