Retail and Hospitality Sector

Baroness Dacres of Lewisham Excerpts

Thursday 22nd January 2026 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Dacres of Lewisham (Lab) (Maiden Speech)]

My Lords, it is a great honour to rise in this House for the first time. I would like to thank noble Lords across the House for their warm welcome.

I speak today as the noble Baroness, Lady Dacres of Lewisham, a title I hold with enormous pride. Lewisham is where I serve as the directly elected mayor, and I have proudly called it home for over 40 years. It is where community, resilience and ambition are part of everyday life—an area proud of its history of inclusion and as a borough of sanctuary. It is a place where you can eat your way around the world.

My journey here has been shaped by a strong work ethic, a belief in fairness and opportunity and a commitment to public service. I bring with me a background in science, computing and law, alongside lived experiences rooted in place, community leadership and local government.

It was a grant from Lewisham Council that allowed me to attend university and be the first in my family to do so, completing a degree in physical sciences with computing. I worked at the UK Atomic Energy Authority.

In later years I undertook a degree in law and was called to the Bar in 2006 while maintaining my IT career within investment banks and bringing up my son, the honourable Darnell Dacres, as a single parent. Together, these experiences have shaped who I am today.

I am deeply conscious that none of us arrives in this House alone. My paternal grandfather served in the RAF here, coming from Jamaica, during the Second World War. My parents came to this country as part of the Windrush generation, seeking opportunity and determined to build a better future. They raised me and my siblings with a deep respect for education, a strong sense of responsibility and the belief that leadership is shown through example. Those values continue to guide how I serve, and I know that they are values shared by noble Lords across this House.

Before turning to the substance of today’s debate, I would like to place on record my sincere thanks to Black Rod and the Garter Principal King of Arms. I am also grateful to my noble friends Lord Kennedy of Southwark and Lady Kennedy of Cradley for their support and friendship. I thank my noble friends Lady Smith of Basildon, Lord Collins of Highbury and Lady Wheeler for their support as I join this House. I also thank the staff of the House of Lords and the doorkeepers for their professionalism, guidance and—yes—directions.

I would also like to thank my noble friends for their care and support of my guests on the day of my introduction. My family spanned four generations and my guests included people who have played a significant role in my life, including my former primary school teacher, Tom Deveson, and my law degree lecturer, Professor Vick Krishnan. Their presence was a powerful reminder of the lasting impact of education, encouragement and daring to dream.

These experiences bring me to the subject of today’s debate and the positive impact that the Government’s policies are having on retail and hospitality, when shaped with local communities in mind.

In Lewisham and across the country, I know that retail and hospitality are central to the vitality of our high streets. Independent cafés, restaurants, market traders and shops provide jobs, support local supply chains and create welcoming social spaces. They are often the first step into employment for young people and an important source of flexible work.

I have seen how targeted support, town centre investment and measures that boost footfall can make a real difference. In Lewisham, regeneration, improved public spaces and new housing have already brought, and will continue to bring, more people into our high streets, helping local businesses to grow, employ local people and invest with confidence.

When policy is well designed, with local communities empowered to make decisions, our retailers and hospitality businesses do not just survive; they thrive.

Positive interventions strengthen local economies, sustain livelihoods and help to ensure that high streets remain vibrant and resilient.

Retail and hospitality succeed when policy recognises their role, not only as economic drivers but as anchors of community life. My experience in Lewisham shows what is possible when government works in partnership with local leadership and local enterprise, and when the voices of communities are heard.

As I take my place and my duties in this House, I do so with a deep sense of responsibility, determination and hope. I look forward to contributing constructively to our work, informed by lived experience, grounded in community and guided by the desire to improve lives.

My Lords, I thank you.