Hope given by Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s roadmap to economic recovery has been welcomed by key business leaders, while underlining an anxious 10 days for companies who still have a three-month wait to re-open.
The four stage plan has been revealed in a statement to the House of Commons, with schools opening as proposed on March 8.
Retail, personal care, gyms, outdoor hospitality and attractions should follow in a second phase in April - potentially by April 12.
May 17 at the earliest could see social contact easing and indoor hospitality returning with a final lift no earlier than June 21.
The Budget will provide more answers, and that can’t come soon enough according to Beckie Hart, CBI Yorkshire & the Humber director.
She said: “The Prime Minister’s roadmap offers hope that the country can get back to business in the coming months.
“The roadmap is a good starting point to the hard yards ahead and caution is rightly the watchword. Businesses in Yorkshire and the Humber back the step-by-step approach to re-opening and an end to damaging stop-start restrictions. And getting children back into the classroom first is as much a priority for business as it is for families across the country.
“We now need to turn this roadmap into genuine economic momentum. The Budget is the second half of this announcement – extending business support in parallel to restrictions will give firms a bridge to the other side. This is particularly needed for sectors who will have to wait for up to three months to re-open and have an anxious 10 days ahead before the Budget.
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“Meanwhile businesses are committed to working with government to refresh practical guidance for firms and to fast-track the roll out of tests in workplaces in the months ahead.
“With good news coming every day on the vaccines, the roadmap offers a pragmatic and safe route out of lockdown in England. Yorkshire and Humber businesses will play their full part in doing so with public health in mind and the confidence to kickstart a recovery.”
The restriction lifting depends on tests being met, with five-week markers between phased releases.
Other elements such as mask-wearing and social distancing will also be reviewed.
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Welcome to Yorkshire chief executive James Mason told how the destination management organisation will lobby on behalf of the tourism sector, for a clear and much-needed plan from the Government to offer and outline crucial economic support for businesses.
“There is much to consider especially after a particularly turbulent year for tourism,” he said. “The wait of financial uncertainty from February 15 until a March 3 budget announcement is too long for any business to make plans, support staffing decisions or simply to assess their future viability.
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“Many businesses, particularly in hospitality may not find a way through the latest restrictions, if they cannot open before summer and further financial support is not forthcoming.”
He said Welcome to Yorkshire will also continue to work closely with the “county’s amazing attractions, brilliant businesses and local authorities to enable the tourism sector to reopen, recover and rebuild as safely and as successfully as possible”.
The promotion of the outdoor economy is the first stage in ‘reopening’, with group meetings outside possible in the near future and hospitality venues able to serve food and drink al fresco. Whilst this is a positive step, many hospitality businesses have limited or no outdoor space.
Mr Mason said: “Serving outdoors ‘only’ will not be practical for all establishments but those that can have this option may well take the opportunity to exercise it, and if financially viable all things considered, they should. The outdoor economy will only grow as people feel as safe as they did before. In time we’ll see, but these are the first steps as a route back to normality before society is fully reopened.”
Andy Wood, managing partner at Grant Thornton in Yorkshire and the North East said: “The Government’s roadmap out of lockdown is welcomed – we now have a clear timetable to work towards, though ongoing financial support for businesses still unable to trade for some months is clearly required.
"It’s important too that we remain vigilant as we share a responsibility of protecting ourselves, our communities and the NHS - infection rates are still very high in parts of our region such as Bradford, Wakefield and Teesside, and the virus remains a threat.
"As lockdown measures are relaxed it’s possible that infection rates could spike so it’s really important that people continue to follow all the rules.”