Give us a date for reopening, urge business chiefs
BUSINESS leaders across Northern Ireland have urged ministers to provide indicative dates for reopening.
Belfast, Derry, Causeway and Newry Chambers issued a joint statement calling on the Executive to say when it will allow the retail and hospitality sectors to resume trading when ministers review their Covid Recovery Plan tomorrow.
The Executive said it will make decisions based on infection data and has published a blueprint which does not contain timings.
The statement explained: “Our members understand the need for the Executive to be cautious, but we believe they can be clearer on their plans for reopening.
“Indicative dates would give businesses the opportunity to plan for a time when they might reopen. This would help with decisions around when to restock, bring staff back into the business and accept bookings in the hospitality sector.”
Their plea comes as it was revealed that the Executive is likely to allow all primary school children to return to classrooms when they review the current lockdown restrictions tomorrow.
Well-placed political sources told Sunday Life that Education Minister Peter Weir would ideally like to see all schools opening before the end of the month.
But opposition from other parties on the Executive means he will fall back to the more likely option of having all primary schoolchildren return. Currently only primary 1 to 3 and nursery schools offer classroom teaching.
A rates holiday for businesses struggling with the dramatic loss of trade was recently announced by Stormont as part of a range of other official grants paid to firms which have also availed of the furlough scheme.
The business leaders said they appreciated the financial support but added their members have also invested heavily in measures to protect staff and customers.
They said: “They’ve stretched themselves by using their own reserves to stay in business. One year on, it is getting increasingly difficult, and they call on the Executive to give them the clarity they need to plan for the future.”