Tier 3 over Christmas a 'hammer blow' for hospitality in Sheffield

Sheffield’s shuttered hospitality industry has been dealt a ‘hammer blow’ by confirmation South Yorkshire will be remain in Tier 3.

By David Walsh

Published 17th Dec 2020, 16:45 BST

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Hundreds of publicans had been praying the county would move to Tier 2 due to falling infection rates, allowing them to reopen.

But speaking in the Commons, health secretary Matt Hancock had bad news.

He paid tribute to people’s efforts but said: “Many places in Tier 3 have seen rates reduce but in most cases we are not quite there yet and pressures on the NHS remain.”

A video grab from footage broadcast by the UK Parliament's Parliamentary Recording Unit (PRU) shows Britain's Health Secretary Matt Hancock updating MPs on the status of the Coronavirus pandemic and the tiered restriction allocations, in a hybrid, socially distanced session at the House of Commons in London on December 17, 2020. (Photo by - / PRU / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE)

A video grab from footage broadcast by the UK Parliament's Parliamentary Recording Unit (PRU) shows Britain's Health Secretary Matt Hancock updating MPs on the status of the Coronavirus pandemic and the tiered restriction allocations, in a hybrid, socially distanced session at the House of Commons in London on December 17, 2020. (Photo by - / PRU / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE)

He added: “We mustn’t blow it now.”

The decision will raise fears that half of Sheffield's pubs could close permanently by the middle of 2021 without more government support. Christmas is worth up to 40 per cent of annual trade and the British Institute of Innkeeping says one in two are facing ruin - and all the money spent propping them up could be wasted.

Alexis Krachai, interim executive director of Sheffield Chamber, urged people to stick to the rules so the economy could reopen as quickly as possible. The government will review the tiers every two weeks.

He said: “Today’s news is another hammer blow for hospitality and other businesses. We’ve been living with this for months and the impact is clear.

“There will be some who are upset and some who are relieved. But we all know there is light at the end of the tunnel, the vaccines are a game changer.

“Local politicians and business leaders said from the start the support wasn’t enough. Today’s Tier 3 confirmation merely makes the case for more support even stronger. It’s about providing relief to businesses forced to close, but it is also and investment in the future.

“We need to keep supporting local businesses and shop local whenever we can. If we follow the restrictions and keep infections down there is more chance we can open the economy in the new year - and keep it open.”

Sheffield City Region mayor Dan Jarvis urged bosses to check whether they qualified for more support.

He added: “We secured £30m funding for business support in October, we’ve increased our own funding for business support and skills by £16.5m, and we’ve given our councils a £6m boost to help them cope amid the crisis.”

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Matt Hancock Sheffield Sheffield South Yorkshire Dan Jarvis