Two-metre review ‘could take weeks’
A REVIEW of the two-metre social distancing rule could take weeks, Downing Street has confirmed, despite warnings that a failure to reduce the distance may cost scores of jobs.
The Government has said that pubs, restaurants and hairdressers would be able to reopen “no earlier than” July 4, provided they follow coronavirus safety guidelines.
But the hospitality sector has warned it will be badly hit if the rule remains in place, with a million jobs at risk.
Boris Johnson has promised a comprehensive review of the two-metre rule, which is aimed at limiting the spread of coronavirus but severely restricts the ability of firms to fully reopen.
Kate Nicholls, chief executive of trade body UKHospitality, told the BBC: “We very much welcome the Government’s decision to conduct a review on this because it is a matter of survival or business failure as far as hospitality is concerned.
“If businesses are opening at two-metre social distance, then they’re operating at 30% of their normal revenues and for a quarter of our small hospitality businesses they won’t be able to open at all. If they open at one metre with additional protections to make sure staff and customers are safe, then they can reach 60% to 70% of their normal revenues, and that puts them at break-even.
“So, for many of those businesses it is literally about viability and we know that a third of businesses may not reopen as a result of prolonged closure, and that puts a million jobs at risk across the hospitality sector.”
The Prime Minister’s official spokesman told a Westminster briefing that the Government’s review – to be led by Simon Case, permanent secretary at Number 10 – would be completed in the “coming weeks”.
He said: “It will look at evidence around transmission of the virus in different environments, incidence rates and international comparisons.
“It will draw on advice from scientific and medical experts as well as economists and papers from Sage. It will take advice from a range of experts including the chief medical officer and the chief scientific adviser.”
The body representing firms in the heart of London’s shopping district around Oxford Street, Regent Street and Bond Street also called for the limit to be reduced.
Jace Tyrrell, chief executive at New West End Company, told the PA news agency the two-metre rule is “sub-economic”.
He said the West End – which normally turns over £10 billion a year – is expecting losses to exceed £5 billion this year, and warned that up to 50,000 jobs could be at risk. “We absolutely have to review this,” he said, acknowledging that safety should remain a “number one” priority.
Mr Tyrrell called for the UK to be on a level playing field with Europe, and said if there is an effective track and trace system and other hygiene measures, then there needs to be a move away from social distancing.