JINGLE TILLS
Shops and pubs hope for ‘Black Wednesday’ surge as lockdown lifts Johnson suffers a bloody nose but Conservative revolt on tiers fails
SHOPS and pubs are desperate to do a roaring trade today when they reopen after four weeks of enforced closures.
But despite the national lockdown coming to an end across England, Boris Johnson warned the public “cannot afford to relax” yet or Covid would soar out of control again. The Prime Minister suffered a damaging blow to his authority yesterday when 55 angry Tories voted against his regional tiers plan. Despite standing in the lobbies urging his MPs to support him, his backbenchers inflicted his worst bloody nose since the election. The new restrictions – which come into force today – only passed after Labour abstained. Shoppers are expected to spend £ 1.5billion today as stores reopen for
Welcome Back Wednesday – or Black Wednesday as some have dubbed it.
Only essential shops were allowed to remain open during the lockdown.
Millions will be out in force to buy Christmas presents, with prices being slashed in a bid to shift stock.
Many stores – including some Primark, Smyths and John ohn Lewis shops – will extend d opening hours to help deal with the rush.
Professor Joshua Bamfield, director of the Centre for Retail Research, said: “People will take the opportunity to go shopping after being stuck at home for weeks on end.
“Today will be a very busy shopping day with a build-up to the weekend.” Figures from the CRR and VoucherCodes suggest a £ 1.5bn splurge as millions head for stores, with some such as IKEA drafting in extra security to maintain social distancing in queues. Retail analyst Clive Black, of Shore Capital, said lifting lockdown was a “godsend” for high streets and shoppers, with many who ignored Black Friday fever preferring the experience of going in stores. He said: “It will be a big day, especially for those who are not Black Friday junkies and who have been stuck with just going to supermarkets or essential retailers.” Some experts say sales fatigue may set in. Figures from delivery firm ParcelHero suggest the excitement of Welcome Back Wednesday will start to wea wear thin over the coming weeks with footfall in high streets plummeting by 50% year-on-year in the run up to Christmas.
Many pub bosses will still be drowning their sorrows as thousands remain closed or can only open with limited numbers for a drink and a
“substantial meal”. British Beer & Pub Association figures reveal 16,454 pubs in Tier 3 will remain locked, restricted to offering takeaway and delivery.
In Tier 2, 13,920 will either stay closed because they don’t serve substantial meals, or will find it is not worth opening to limited numbers.
The Government announced £1,000 for each pub having to shut amid the new tiers system – but bosses said it will not prevent businesses collapsing.
The BBPA warned the sum is “nowhere near enough to stave off thousands of pub closures”.
Chief executive Emma McClarkin slammed the Government for a “slap in the face” to pubs and brewers at what should be their busiest time.
She added: “It’s outrageous you can have a pint in a theatre, concert hall, cinema or sports ground without a substantial meal, but not the pub.”
Kate Nicholls, boss of UKHospitality, said the Tories lack “any sliver of logic”. She added more than a million
jobs are on the line and warned the new tiers system could condemn nine out of 10 hospitality businesses to being unviable by the New Year.
The PM acknowledged “people’s feelings of injustice” about being put in higher tiers than they felt they deserved, because of their home’s proximity to high-rate areas.
A string of Conservatives criticised the tiers which they claimed were “unnecessary” and “disproportionate”.
Mr Johnson spent the day wooing his MPs in the Commons tea rooms and taking questions in a Zoom call.
He suggested the Government would look at smaller areas when deciding tiering arrangements in future – a demand of Tory rebels.
But No10 refused to publish a secret document on the health and economic impact of the restrictions on local areas. And there was more trouble ahead after
Tory-run Stratford-on-Avon council notified Health Secretary Matt Hancock it will seek a judicial review of the decision to put it in Tier 3.
Council leader Tony Jefferson said the decision was “arbitrary and irrational” as the town has one of the lowest infection rates in England.
The Tory Commons rebellion of 53 plus two tellers, the biggest since 44 Conservatives voted against the 10pm pubs curfew in October, was big enough that, if all opposition parties had voted against the Government, the new rules could have been defeated. Labour leader Keir Starmer, who has previously backed restrictions, said it would not be in the national interest to vote them down when the virus posed such a risk.
But he warned the PM’s overall Covid plans pose a “significant” danger to public health.
He accused the PM of short-term decisions that then “bump into the harsh reality of the virus”.
Mr Johnson suggested people visiting elderly relatives over Christmas should get a Covid test – despite warnings community testing will not be ready until the New Year. Cabinet ministers hope some areas could drop into lower tiers when restrictions come up for review on December 16.
But scientists advising the Government see little scope for any widespread easing before Christmas.
It will be a big day, especially for those people who are not Black Friday junkies
RETAIL ANALYST CLIVE BLACK ON TODAY’S SHOPPING SPREES