Call for two-metre rule to be relaxed

TWO of the borough’s MPs are in favour of relaxing the two-metre social distancing rule.

Newly-elected James Sunderland, whose Bracknell constituency includes parts of Finchampstead, Crowthorne and Wokingham Without, visited The Lexicon shopping centre yesterday to see how shops were reopening.

But he admitted that he is missing the hospitality industry and is hoping that reducing the two-metre distance to a single metre will mean that they can reopen next month.

“For me I've missed the pubs, the cafes and the restaurants,” he said.

“I'm a big supporter of reducing two-metre to one-metre social distancing to enable the hospitality sector to come back into play. As soon as the medical experts and scientists say it is ok, I will be supporting it.”

And his views were echoed by Sir John Redwood, MP for Wokingham, who has also welcomed stores reopening.

Speaking in an emergency debate in parliament on Monday, he expressed his strong support for the two-metre rule being relaxed immediately.

He said: "Given that the scientific advice is mixed and muddled and that the economic and business advice is overwhelming and clear, why do Ministers not today announce the halving of the distance and ask businesses to put in other measures, including protective clothing and screens where appropriate?

“If we want our hospitality industry to survive in any form, it needs to know today so that it can prepare its routes and tables and screens, and all the rest of it.

“Leaving it until 4 July will mean manymore lost jobs.”

Responding for the Government, minister for health Edward Argar said: “The reason is that the current scientific advice is that the twometre rule significantly reduces the risk of transmission andwe have not yet beaten this disease.”

And keen shopper Sir John encouraged readers of his blog to get back into stores and spend money.

“Many people say they value their local High Street and want the shops there to be available for them. To help secure their future it is important to back them in the only way that counts in the next few weeks, by visiting them and buying things from them,” he wrote.

“I have argued throughout this crisis so far that government needs to give the highest priority to saving lives, but also has to follow policies that can save livelihoods. I was pleased the government took up the idea of government cash to support staff who could not go to work, but this cannot go indefinitely. The only way to pay the wages in the months ahead is for people to be back at work serving and supplying customers who will pay the bills.”

Mr Sunderland was pleased with what he saw in Bracknell yesterday, saying: “It’s amazing, it’s like coming out of hibernation. It is massively important for the Lexicon to reopen, as long as it’s safe, I'm really happy to support it. We need to get the economy working.

“I think there’s been a big push on safety and I am confident that people who come shopping here in the Lexicon will be safe.”