In light of the Government announcement this morning about Birmingham and Solihull being classified as Tier 3, Restauranteur, Jabbar Khan, strikes out against the Tier 3 ruling;
“As an independent restauranteur, with four businesses across the city we’re incredibly disappointed in the Government’s announcement to place Birmingham and Solihull in Tier 3, from next week. Calling it Tier 3 does not get away from the fact that this is a continued and full-scale lockdown, especially for the hospitality sector; an industry that is being systematically destroyed.
Whilst this may be viewed by Government as a two-week measure, the true effects are much harsher. Tier 3 effectively shuts down many of this sector’s great businesses and denies them an ability to trade over a period that is critical for every hospitality business – big and small.
By cancelling Christmas for the hospitality sector, the Government has effectively wiped out three months of trade and which will result many businesses closing, jobs being lost, and city centres left empty. The sector will never recover from these measures.
The Government have made a big play about ‘Saving Christmas’ for families, but have they forgotten that behind every business and business owner, there is a family whose Christmas has been ruined by today’s announcement?
Christmas Cheer and Goodwill is, it would seem, not offered to all on this occasion.
Rishi Sunak, Matt Hancock, Boris Johnson and the Government must be prepared to stand up, do the right thing and lead this sector-in-crisis with immediate and real financial support that not only protects businesses, but safeguards jobs, too.
What is abundantly clear is that last orders, for many, is not 9pm, 10pm or otherwise, it’s right here and right now.”