NORTHERN FURY
» Pubs, cafes, local businesses fear ruin after Johnson’s new restrictions » Regional chiefs say 10 million are paying heavy price for Tory mistakes
ANGRY pub and restaurant bosses fear the expected new lockdowns in the North will cause mass closures.
One pub owner said: “It’s disgusting.” They want financial help from the Government.
Greater Manchester metro mayor Andy Burnham, inset, said people in the Nor th are “paying the price” for Tory failures.
OUTRAGED bosses of pubs, restaurants and cafes in the North say they feel abandoned by the Government as another lockdown looms.
They have pleaded for financial help to avert huge job losses and businesses going to the wall.
Greater Manchester metro mayor Andy Burnham said he will oppose changes unless any firms at risk have their wages covered by a local furlough scheme.
Writing exclusively in the Mirror today, he adds: “I am not opposed to further restrictions if there is evidence to support them.
“But I am opposed to their being imposed without agreement by a Government trying to deal with a virus on the cheap and making the North of England pay the price.”
Peter Kinsella, who runs the Lunya restaurant in Liverpool and has 60 staff, said “most” businesses in the city will close without help.
He added that “because we were mortally wounded with the last lockdown” more similar restrictions “would mean the end of us... and we’re a strong, viable business”.
Tough restrictions for large parts of the North are expected to be announced on Monday – hitting 10 million people and heaping more misery on the hospitality sector.
A three-tier regime is set to be unveiled for England, with curbs depending on local Covid-19 rates.
Tier 1 is set to keep the “rule of six” and 10pm hospitality curfew.
Tier 2 areas face a ban on households mixing.
Tier 3 curbs are likely to mean pubs, restaurants and other hospitality venues closing.
The UK death toll rose yesterday by 77 to 42,592. Another 17,540 cases were recorded – up from 14,162 the previous day. Health Secretary Matt Hancock said: “We are at a perilous moment in the course of this pandemic.”
The Government still had not made any announcement last night – leaving the North in the dark.
Hospitality bosses have pleaded for an urgent financial package.
Lucas Morrison, 48, owner of Arlo in Newcastle, said it is “a nightmare”. He added: “We have made so many changes to keep people safe. I think hospitality has been unfairly targeted. We are not making any money at the moment. I think they will have to do something like a local furlough to support businesses or people will lose their jobs.”
The Wylam Brewery in Newcastle l warned restrictions would cost “many jobs”, adding it was a “viable business impaired by restrictions that have not been scientifically considered”.
Eileen Donald, 56, who owns the Horseshoe Inn in Bury, Gtr Manchester, has just reopened after being hit by Bolton’s restrictions.
She said: “We were closed for 25 days and now it could happen again. It’s disgusting.”
She thinks only pubs failing to follow social distancing rules should have to shut. Steve Turner, of Tubbs restaurant, in Colne, Lancs, said: “It’s becoming impossible. The Government has got to support the sector or businesses will collapse.” Liverpool’s Art School Restaurant has announced that Chancellor Rishi Sunak has been “barred”. Paul Askew, who co-chairs the Liverpool Hospitality Association, said: “It gradually feels like we are
This is becoming impossible. They must support the sector
RESTAURANT BOSS CALLS FOR GOVT HELP
being choked.” Brewery boss William Lees-Jones, of JW Lees which runs 150 pubs in the North West, said further restrictions “could be devastating”.
Jonny Heyes, managing director of the Common and Co hospitality group, said: “There has been no consultation with local leadership and a complete failure of testing and tracing which has been compounded by sending 100,000 students back to Manchester with seemingly no plan to deal with the inevitable outbreaks...
“The hospitality sector has borne the brunt of the impact of the lack of governance.” UK Hospitality chief Kate Nicholls said: “It seems very unfair to penalise a segment of the economy y without providing the necessary support to get those businesses... through what will be a very difficult period.” The TUC backed calls for a furlough scheme in worst-hit areas.
General secretary Frances O’Grady added there must also be help for the self-employed. The Treasury is said to be drawing up plans to help businesses set to be hit by local lockdowns.
Communiti e s Secretary Robert Jenrick admitted the hospitality sector could be put in a “really difficult, intolerable position”.
The PM’ s spokesman said: “Any decisions we take will not be made lightly; protecting jobs, particularly the two million in the UK’s hospitality sector, has been a priority throughout our response to the pandemic... We are considering a range of options to reduce the spread of the virus to protect communities and the NHS.”
Health minister Nadine Dorries said: “Those who now claim that further measures are not needed will, in about 10 days from now when hospital admissions are at a critical stage, argue that we didn’t do enough.”
Nottingham had the highest weekly rate of cases in England – 2,294 in the seven days to October 5, the equivalent of 689.1 per 100,000 people.
Knowsley in Merseyside was second at 601.2 per 100,000. NHS Test and Trace has recorded its worst week for the proportion of contacts it found.
Just 68.6% of close contacts of those who tested positive were reached in the week ending September 30, down from 72.5% the previous week.