Devon and Cornwall's hospitality industry has been hit by a "further blow" as it has to remain shut for Easter following the Prime Minister's roadmap announcement.
Boris Johnson set out the key points to ending coronavirus restrictions to MPs in the House of Commons this afternoon, but explained there was "no credible route to a zero-Covid Britain, nor indeed a zero-Covid world".
He revealed that the first phase would see schools reopen and socialising in parks and public spaces with one other person, which has been welcomed by Conservative MP for Plymouth Moor View, Johnny Mercer.
Mr Mercer said it is "vital that our children are able to return to education settings in a safe and structured way after the amount of term time missed over the past year" and that he was positive "continued progress in this way will secure our route out of lockdown in the very near future", due to the successful, "world-leading" vaccine programme.
On March 29 Mr Johnson announced that further easing of restrictions would take place, with larger groups of up to six or two households allowed to gather in parks or gardens.
From April 12 at the earliest, shops, hairdressers, nail salons, libraries, outdoor attractions and outdoor hospitality venues such as beer gardens will be able reopen.
Self-catering accommodation can also reopen from this date, but many businesses and partnerships have expressed disappointment at the news of remaining closed over the Easter holidays, losing out on further footfall.
It comes as a further 109 positive coronavirus tests were recorded across the two counties on Monday, as well as three deaths reported at Derriford Hospital.
Labour MP for Exeter, Ben Bradshaw, said he agreed with the Government that "we should be driven by the data and not dates" and has welcomed the moving of the dates currently set out in the roadmap should data suggest they need to be pushed forward or back.
"Given the stunning evidence on the impact of the vaccines in preventing serious illness and deaths the Government should be prepared to bring those dates forward, as well as back, if the data justifies it," he said.
"It is particularly hard on local businesses, especially our vital hospitality sector, to have to remain closed for Easter, given Exeter and Devon have one of the lowest Covid rates in the country."
Patrick Langmaid, director of Mother Ivey's Bay holiday park at Trevose Head, said that while he was able to reopen on April 12, pubs operating at a reduced capacity are "better off shut and being supported" until they can fully open.
“[The plan] is okay if you’re doing what I’m doing," he said.
"Self-catering accommodation can reopen on April 12. But it doesn’t mean it’s great news. A lot of people are going to be struggling. The devil will be in the detail.
“I worry about the whole of the Cornish hospitality. Pubs and restaurants are going to need support. I worry for pubs that are asked to open at reduced capacity. They’re better off shut and being supported until they can open fully."
Mr Langmaid added that his customers "are not going to get the Cornish experience they were expecting" as most of the hospitality sector will remain shut.
“We’d already decided that we’d open at reduced capacity, that 170 pitches are not going to be open. That’s 800 people," he said.
“The general public are going to want social distancing for the rest of the season. We’re all emotionally scarred by the lockdown and what it means about protecting ourselves and our loved ones.”
Tim Jones, chairman of South West Business Council, said the Government should look at creating an additional bank holiday, but it must also ensure that a fourth lockdown never happens.
He said: “This roadmap is not a surprise to the business community, we expected April and May would be the target dates.
“But it does provide a degree of certainty, the yo-yo effect has been difficult to manage for businesses, going in and out of lockdown.
"And lockdown four would be unthinkable.”
He said businesses would rather wait for the vaccine programme to provide enough protection so they could open for good, than end lockdown early and face another period of inactivity.
Mr Jones said the prospect of continental travel remaining unlikely could also bring a boost for South West tourism and businesses would rather wait patiently than risk returning to action too soon and face another lockdown.
“Most businesses in leisure, retail, tourism and hospitality are saying they would prefer certainty and not return to lockdown, or a tiered system, which did not work,” he said.
He said there is widespread expectation that the Government will announce support packages in the March 3 Budget but stressed:
“There is potential for some more initiatives, until we are at the point where we are fully up and running again. In one case an additional bank holiday, if we are going to lose Easter, would bring an injection of cash to the South West.”
But Mr Jones was disappointed that while Mr Johnson announced the reopening of schools from March 8, there was not firm statement on universities.
Mr Jones said the higher education sector was important for the region’s businesses and should operate “in parallel” with schools.
“We will be lobbying for that element,” he said.
Mr Johnson added that the tourism industry would be able to fully re-open from May 17 at the earliest, when two households or groups of up to six people will be allowed to mix indoors and crowds of up to 10,000 in the largest venues will be allowed at performances and sporting events.
Malcolm Bell, chief executive of Visit Cornwall, said he welcomes the Government’s roadmap announcement, but that he is disappointed that the accommodation, pubs and restaurants will have to remain closed until May 17.
But Mr Bell said it was good news for Cornwall residents, as "all of us locals will have Easter, April, May and the whole of June before the crowds arrive".
“It will give us time to enjoy Cornwall", he said.
From June 21 at the earliest, all remaining restrictions on social contact could be lifted, larger events can go ahead and nightclubs could finally reopen.
But Amanda Lumley, executive director of Destination Plymouth said that over 40 per cent of businesses in the tourism and hospitality sector believe they would not survive after May.
Across the wider South West region, there are currently over 160,000 people in the hospitality sector on furlough, with a loss of £3.7 billion in turnover.
"Today’s announcement whilst providing clarity for hospitality businesses on dates for reopening, still leaves the tourism and hospitality industry with a long road ahead before they can safely reopen for business," Ms Lumley said.
"It is crucial that the government supports this ongoing closure with a significant package of support for the tourism and hospitality sector including extending furlough, continuing business rates relief and extension of VAT to 5% as well as further grants.
“Our sector has been hit incredibly hard by Covid-19, with over 52% of business for 2020 lost already up to January and 40% of businesses saying they believe they will not survive post May. Across the wider SW region there are currently over 160,000 people in the sector on furlough with a loss of £3.7 billion in turnover.
“Not being able to welcome tourists for Easter will be a further blow for many, however with a series of steps outlined businesses will be able to start to plan ahead for the rest of the year.
"We have been, and will continue to lobby government for further support for the sector, particularly in relation to VAT relief and furlough extensions.
"We look forward to being able to start to fully reopen from 17 May and will continue to work closely with our partners across the city to put Plymouth and its tourism and hospitality offer in the best possible position for recovery.”
Business West managing director Phil Smith also said many of its businesses did not have "real hope of surviving the next few months".
He said that those particularly in the hospitality sector, such as nightclubs and restaurants, would struggle until June - depending on the budget announcement on Wednesday.
“This means that support for hospitality businesses in particular will be so important for the Chancellor when he presents his budget next Wednesday," he said.
“We must now have a meaningful extension to the furlough scheme, perhaps with some training and re-training commitments included.
“I have to say that I am hopeful this support will be forthcoming from the Treasury as the Prime Minister promised business: “We will not pull the rug out”.
“That gives struggling companies some hope that they can hang on with further furlough support. We also hope that Rishi Sunak can also extend the business rates holiday for companies.
“For business, the return to school of all children on 8 March will be a huge boost for their employees who have had the difficult burden of homeschooling.
“What we saw today was a cautious Prime Minister who was intent on not falling into the trap of overpromising and not delivering.”
Luke Pollard, Labour MP for Plymouth Sutton and Devonport said he felt Ministers "have made big promises only to U-turn" and that this "has to be the last lockdown", not just for businesses but for many families.
"I cautiously welcome the roadmap but we have been here before," he said.
"Ministers have made big promises only to U-turn. This has to be the last lockdown so we need Ministers to learn from their past mistakes and get this one right.
"This government has failed at so many crucial points in the pandemic. Too slow to get our doctors and nurses the PPE they need, to protect our parents and grandparents in care homes, and too fast in lifting restrictions in the past - putting so many more at risk. The government must act with caution.
"So many families in Plymouth are still uncertain after the Prime Minister's announcement: about whether they will get their furlough extend, whether there will still be support for those who have to self-isolate, and what will be in place to help tourism and hospitality survive the next few months. The Prime Minister must clarify this as soon as possible so families and businesses in the South West can plan for the last leg of the lockdown."
Conservative MP Sir Gary Streeter, MP for South West Devon, said he supported the "cautious approach" and said he hoped that by June 21, all restrictions would be lifted.
"We simply cannot afford a fourth lockdown," he said.
"Hopefully, by June 21 all restrictions can be lifted, although, depending on the data at the time we might need to maintain face masks etc in some settings.
"The road map has sufficient opportunity built into it to review all of this over the next three months."
https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMiX2h0dHBzOi8vd3d3LnBseW1vdXRoaGVyYWxkLmNvLnVrL25ld3MvcGx5bW91dGgtbmV3cy9kZXZvbi1jb3Jud2FsbC10b3VyaXNtLWluZHVzdHJ5LWhpdC01MDMyOTcx0gEA?oc=5
2021-02-22 18:22:24Z
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