Non-essential retail and hospitality to shut in new lockdown in England

Non-essential retail and hospitality venues will be required to shut for a month under a new nationwide lockdown in England, it has been announced. 

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the lockdown would come into force from one minute past midnight (00.01) on Thursday (November 5) and end on Wednesday, December 2.

It is part of strict new measures to curb the rise in cases of coronavirus.

Along with non-essential retail, bars, pubs and restaurants will have to close although they will be able to offer a takeaway food service.

He said that, unlike in Wales, shops selling predominantly essential items would not have to prohibit the sale of non-essential goods.

Andrew Goodacre, CEO of BAGMA’s parent company Bira, said: “This second lockdown could not be at a worse time for independent retailers as we approach the crucial festive period. Christmas shopping was already starting and will now end up being carried out online.

“Small retailers need support through this lockdown. The furlough scheme should be reinstated, the grant scheme for all small businesses must be re-introduced and start planning for a shop out to help out scheme to be available for when shops reopen

“We lost 25% of independent retailers after the last lockdown, and without meaningful support the sector will be decimated by further lockdowns.”

Read the Government’s full statement here

This article was published on the Bira website and may be of interest to BAGMA members