Scrap 2-metre rule to save economy
Business issues warning on social distancing...
BUSINESS leaders have pleaded with the Prime Minister to relax the two-metre rule amid fears that millions of jobs are at stake.
Trade bodies representing tens of thousands of firms in hospitality, retail and manufacturing warn many companies will struggle to comply with the safety edict as the UK lifts lockdown.
A failure to resume trading will hinder recovery from what is set to be the deepest recession for more than 300 years. But yesterday, Business Secretary Alok Sharma offered little comfort on the two-metre distancing rule.
As he confirmed that non- essential shops would open from Monday, he said: ‘ We will only change it when we think it is safe to do so.’
The Prime Minister had promised to publish results of a review into distancable ing before shops reopened on June 15.
In a fresh appeal, trade group UK Hospitality said reducing the distance to one metre in line with World Health Organisation (WHO) guidelines could save up to 1m jobs in the hospitality sector alone.
Meanwhile the British Beer and Pub Association and the British Retail Consortium warned of struggles ahead. Manufacturing group Make UK said relaxing the two-metre rule would boost productivity, while the Society of
Manufacturers and Traders told MPs last week that the lockdown and strict social distancing rules means 400,000 fewer cars will be made this year.
The UK has some of the strictest social distancing in the world, alongside Spain and Canada.
Australia, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Greece require people keep 1.5 metres apart, while France, Denmark and China have stuck with one metre.
The first comprehensive review of social distancing, prepared for the WHO and published in the Lancet medical journal last week concluded that one metre left people with a 3pc chance of catching Covid- 19 from an infected person. It said the risk is halved at two metres.
Many businesses believe this is a risk worth taking to get the economy back on its feet and prevent redundancies.
Kate Nicholls, chief executive of UK Hospitality, said venues – from restaurants to pubs and wedding venues - would only be to generate 30pc of their normal revenue under the twometre rule. If this was reduced to one metre they would be able to generate 70pc of their normal revenue, and at least break even.
She said: ‘The rule is simply not viable. With the two-metre rule in place and without additional support from the Government lots of venues will not survive. A third of outlets would not reopen and a million jobs would be lost.’
The British Beer and Pub Association said one metre would significantly increase the number of the UK’s 47,000 pubs that could reopen. Tom Ironside, at the British Retail Consortium, said: ‘ Many firms will continue to struggle as it will limit sales while retailers face the same rent and other fixed costs. The Government will need to continue to support businesses while safety requirements are in place.’
Tej Parikh, chief economist of the Institute of Directors, said: ‘Only half our members say it will be possible to reach normal levels of activity under social distancing.’ Josh Hardie, deputy director general of the CBI said: ‘If it can be reduced safely this will have a significant economic and productivity impact.’
‘A million jobs would be lost’