The former Greater Manchester Nightime Czar has been quizzed this morning on the BBC over allegations that one of his Company’s would have to pay back an Art’s Council grant after it had been obtained under misleading information
Primary Event Solutions has been asked to pay back £401,928 by the Arts Council which was part of a £1.57bn rescue package to help ‘cultural organisations’ after the pandemic.
The Arts Council said the application had breached a clause in the terms and conditions.
The controversy saw Lord step down earlier this year from his role as Greater Manchester’s Night Time Economy advisor
Lord told Laura Kuenssberg’s BBC Programme that there was no intention to mislead and would work with the liquidators of the Company to try to pay the money back-
Primary Event Solutions was put into liquidation in 2023
Lord appeared on the programme with a plea to the Chancellor to lower the rate of VAT to the hospitality and Leisure Industry saying the one single mechanism that can save Hospitality, save businesses and save jobs.
He said that the Treasury was “out of touch” with high business costs and warns of business closures once NI increases kick in and said that it was harder for the industry now than it was during the pandemic
