A new ten-year industrial strategy aimed at supporting UK small business through a programme of investment, skills training, and the reduction of energy bills has been criticised as “a missed opportunity” for omitting the country’s hospitality sector.

UKHospitality said the proposals – which could see bills cut by 25 percent for more than 7,000 businesses – will “leave behind swathes of the UK” by ignoring a sector that represents more than 70 percent of the economy.

“This is not an industrial strategy that will deliver growth equally across the UK,” said chair Kate Nicholls. “In fact, by ignoring 70 percent of the economy it is at odds with the Government’s ambition to create jobs and help people into work.”

“Once again, growth will be distributed unevenly and centred around small industrial clusters that have high barriers to access – hardly a recipe for driving social mobility. We were desperate to see a plan for hospitality and the high street, which together employs over 7 million people. We were disappointed.”

Nicholls added the move to lower energy bills for certain sectors “is clear recognition from the Government that the energy market is broken… we now need a clear roadmap and timeline for when the Government will fix the energy market for the rest of the economy.”