Warwickshire businesses 'devastated' by tier three move

Businesses in Warwickshire say they are "devastated" by a decision to place the county in tier three.

It was in tier one before before England's second lockdown was introduced, but will face the toughest measures when it ends on 2 December.

Some local traders and politicians say they are concerned the county's inclusion in a group with Coventry and Solihull affected the decision.

They are calling on the government to revaluate.

John Ford, who has run the Tudor World museum and attraction in Stratford-upon-Avon since 2007, said the decision was "devastating".

"To put it bluntly, I was shocked... Stratford in particular has a low R rating," he said.

"We've just taken bookings for opening after lockdown, but now we have been told we can't open and are having to refund them," he said.

"My personal opinion is that they wanted to extend the lockdown and putting the majority of the country into tier three is a backdoor way of putting us into lockdown," he added.

Most recent figures from Public Health England show the Stratford-upon-Avon area had 105.3 new cases per 100,000 people for the week up to 22 November, the second lowest in the West Midlands after the Malvern Hills with 87.7.

By way of comparison, the rates in Solihull and Coventry were twice that - 252.3 and 200 respectively for the same period.

The rate of infections, however, is just one of a number of factors in deciding tiers, including pressure on the NHS and how quickly rates are changing.

On Friday, Boris Johnson said he understood the "frustration" of some towns and villages with low levels of Covid-19, but that the government needed to ensure some "clarity".

A range of government support packages are in place for businesses forced to close during the pandemic and it is also extending the subsidy of employees who are unable to work until March.

Izzi Seccombe, the Conservative leader of Warwickshire County Council, questioned whether the county's inclusion as part of a group with Coventry and Solihull may have skewed the outcome of the tiers decision.

In a joint letter to Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick, local politicians called for "a far more nuanced approach".

Tony Jefferson, Conservative leader of Stratford District Council, said "by any metric" the local area did "not belong in tier three".

"This is going to wipe out a lot of businesses, the pre-Christmas trade is vital to an awful lot of businesses in rural retail and hospitality," he said.

Early in the pandemic, the Centre for Progressive Policy think tank forecasted Stratford-upon-Avon would be among the worst-hit local authority areas in the UK.

A report for the West Midlands Regional Economic Development Institute report similarly highlighted its reliance on tourism.

Under tier three restrictions, while gyms and leisure centres can stay open, indoor entertainment and tourist venues, including theatres, must close. Pubs and restaurants can only operate as a takeaway or delivery service.

John Lea, who runs Loxleys Restaurant and Wine Bar in Stratford, said a takeaway service was just not viable.

"What is Stratford, if not the theatre what is it? Hotels and hospitality, bars, restaurants, pubs - that's Stratford," Mr Lea said.

"If you close that sector in Stratford, you are probably damaging 80% of the economy."

"If we're still lumped in with Coventry and Nuneaton, I can tell you that's it until March, because no way is that region, in the next two weeks, going to have a massive reduction in its infection rate," he said.

"It will be a bit of lifejacket if [the prime minister] lets us open at least for Christmas week... but what will new year's look like?"

Warwickshire's MPs have also raised concerns.

In the House of Commons, Jeremy Wright, Conservative MP for Kenilworth and Southam, asked if Warwickshire's tier had been affected by rates in neighbouring areas.

He called on the government to "calculate restrictions on the smallest geographical area where data is reliable".

Matt Western, the Labour MP for Warwick and Leamington, also asked the government to review Warwickshire's tier, saying its situation was "quite different" from other parts of the West Midlands.

Speaking on Friday, West Midlands Mayor Andy Street, described the government's decision as "a finely balanced call, adding it was "realistic" for Coventry and Warwickshire to hope for a change in tiers before Christmas.

For traders like Julian White, the manager of Chesford Grange Hotel in Kenilworth, which will remain closed, the decision is still disappointing and will affect Christmas bookings - a crucial time for many businesses.

"We went in [to lockdown] at the lowest level and now we are coming out at the highest level," he said.

"We hope that when the government reviews their decision mid-December, they will give us the green light to open."

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