A recent study has found that UK cities and towns where a
large portion of the population works in the aviation industry are being hit
the hardest economically by the coronavirus shutdown.
According to the Centre for Cities thinktank, Crawley – near
Gatwick airport – is the most vulnerable city or large town mainly due to the
fact that around 18 per cent of its workforce is employed in the aviation
industry and related sectors compared to an average of 1 per cent across
Britain. This means more than half of Crawley’s jobs are at risk of being either
furloughed or lost completely as the coronavirus crisis continues to impact
airlines and the travel industry.
Luton and Derby also have high shares of employees in
aviation, according to the study, and also have more people working in the automotive
sector than any other parts of the country. In those cities, it is estimated
that 40 per cent of jobs are classified as vulnerable, placing them second and
third on the list after Crawley.
Tangential to aviation, Aberdeen’s industry is largely
dominated by the oil and gas sector, which is also expected to be impacted by
the virus lockdown. Around 11 per cent of the city’s workforce are employed by
the sector.
The Centre for Cities said that even in a short-lived
lockdown, Crawley, Luton, Derby and Aberdeen could face the most severe challenges
when it comes to recovery, as the travel industry’s own recovery is expected to
take longer once restrictions are lifted.
Chief executive Andrew Carter commented: “While from a
public health perspective Covid-19 is affecting every part of the UK, its
economic impact will be felt more acutely in some places than others.
“Because of this, a one-size-fits-all approach to economic
recovery will not work. Once the immediate health crisis passes, policymakers
will need to tailor their economic interventions to specific cities and
regions.”