Covid: Bolton's business owners show acceptance and anger

Businesses in Bolton have met the news of what one of the town's MPs called "a quasi-lockdown state" with a mix of disappointment, acceptance and anger.

Government advice has emerged urging people to avoid indoor gatherings in the town, which currently has England's highest rate of Covid-19 infections.

Bolton South East MP Yasmin Qureshi tweeted that it was "another kick in the teeth" for the town.

Restaurateur Nick Cullen said working was "difficult in these circumstances".

"I still think every day that they are going to shut Bolton down because there are rising numbers," he said.

The businessman and chef, who opened Nick's Restaurant 20 years ago, said it had been depressing to see his establishment "without any life to it" over the past year.

He added that it appeared the government had "snuck through" the latest guidelines.

Advice against travelling to Bolton, other than for essential reasons, was issued on 14 May, due a rise in cases of the Covid-19 Indian variant, with guidance about meeting indoors added on Friday.

The town recorded 451 cases per 100,000 people in the week leading up to 20 May.

However, the Labour MP said she had only recently been made aware of the guidance and the fact "these restrictions have actually been in place for a week... was, of course, news to all of us here".

"Last night, like many in Bolton, my office and I found out that Bolton had been placed in a quasi-lockdown state," she said.

The prime minister's official spokesman said the government had been "clear" that people in Bolton and seven other areas "should recognise the extra risk posed by the variant and exercise their judgment".

"The Prime Minister talked about this during his press conference on 14 May and the government has reiterated a similar message since," he added.

In a bid to add clarity, the directors of public health in the eight areas where additional caution was advised have issued a joint statement saying there were no legal restrictions on travel.

The statement added: "There are sensible public health precautions people can take as individuals in line with the sorts of advice we have all been following throughout the pandemic."

Businesswoman Catalina Sastre, who set up Party and Play Funhouse in 2007, said the government needed "to get a grip, stop using advice and start enforcing things".

"They haven't got any control," she said.

"They keep expecting that people will do it, because you've advised them to do it, but that's not how society works."

She said that since the first lockdown, her business had been closed for a total of 60 weeks.

"It's like starting the business all over again," she added.

"And do they expect us to carry on like this for the next 12 months?"

Jonathan Hill, the owner of The Coffee Shop at Heaton, said he was "disappointed" by the news of the guidance, but remained hopeful.

He said the cafe on New Hall Lane, which opened in 2015, had seen its most difficult year by far in the past 12 months and he had been "hoping that this was the start of things having some momentum, but it seems we have hit another pothole".

"But it is to be expected," he added.

"That's one of things I've learned over the course of pandemic - to be a little more flexible about your plans for future."

"I'm sure it's only a short-term measure and hopefully we get back on top of things again."

Susan Warburton, from Bradshaw, said she accepts the new guidance needed to be issued and it is "just something that's got to be taken seriously".

"People have just got to do as they are told," she said.

Why not follow BBC North West on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram? You can also send story ideas to [email protected]