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In Business

Factual: Money

Series about the world of work from vast corporations to modest volunteers

Series of programmes about the whole world of work, public and private, from vast corporations to modest volunteers

In Business: The Gatwick Effect

06/08/2020

The Gatwick Effect

BBC Radio 4 - In Business, The Gatwick Effect

The impact of lockdown on businesses in Crawley, the town near Gatwick Airport.

Gatwick Airport has been badly hit by the coronavirus pandemic and lockdown. But is the nearby town, Crawley, also under threat?

The coronavirus pandemic and the associated global economic lockdown have had a dramatic impact on businesses across the UK, perhaps none more so than on the aviation industry and airports like Gatwick, usually the UK's second busiest.

The consequences, though, go far beyond the confines of the airport. Tens of thousands of jobs in the wider economy and in nearby towns, like Crawley, are under threat. 

One report has suggested that, because of its dependence on Gatwick, Crawley could be the worst affected urban centre in the UK. 

John Murphy speaks to a range of businesses in Crawley during this extraordinary period, to see if and how they can survive.

Producer: Darin Graham

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