A Center Parcs holiday village is closing its gates as a huge swathe of the East Midlands goes into Tier 3 lockdown restrictions.
The Sherwood Forest holiday camp in north Nottinghamshire is one of hundreds of businesses affected by the “very high” alert category which comes into force in the county on Friday, October 30.
The Department of Health and Social Care changes affecting Nottinghamshire businesses as of 00.01am on Friday, October 30, include a 9pm ban on alcohol sales in shops, while all cafes, restaurants and pubs which don’t serve “substantial food” will have to shut.
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They mean significant numbers of businesses within Nottingham and the county will be forced to close their doors for at least the next 28 days.
It comes as business leaders attacked the Government’s confusing handling of the lockdown itself and the levels of support available to local businesses and workers.
Originally only half the county was going into Tier 3 lockdown, but that was extended.
Center Parcs Nottinghamshire will close at 1pm on October 30, and is not expected to reopen until at least November 26.
The business, which has five holiday villages in England, had already introduced strict measures to maintain social distancing during the pandemic.
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Reduced capacities have been introduced and pool times restricted to two hour sessions for families.
Masks are compulsory in all indoor areas, the restaurants must be booked in advance and cleaning regimes have been ramped up. The company’s cancellation policy has also been adapted.
Visitors with breaks booked at Sherwood Forest are being offered a £100 discount to reschedule their holiday.
In a statement the business said: “The safety and wellbeing of our guests and staff is our absolute priority and we feel that this is the right decision to keep everyone as safe as possible.”
Other businesses forced to close include betting shops, saunas, steam rooms and indoor venues – apart from gyms, ice rinks, cinemas, concert halls, theatres, hotels and other accommodation.
Tattoo parlours, tanning and nail salons and spas will also shut, although hairdressers and barbers can stay open but will not be able to give facial treatments.
Car boot sales are also no longer allowed under the new guidelines, nor are auctions at auction houses.
All the latest information on tiers, restrictions and support
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East Midlands Chamber said the way the Government dealt with the local lockdown – which saw restrictions planned for earlier in the week postponed – had been a mess.
Chamber chief executive Scott Knowles said: “The Government’s handling throughout this episode has been nothing short of abysmal, leaving a state of confusion among communities and businesses in Nottinghamshire.
“Last week was filled with rumours, hearsay and leaks about the possibility of Nottingham, as well as the areas of Broxtowe, Gedling and Rushcliffe, going into Tier 3 lockdown but the lack of confirmation from the Government created huge uncertainty over the weekend.
“It wasn’t until Monday when an announcement was finally made – by local leaders, rather than Westminster – and we said it was vital to provide clear communication to businesses in the days before the restrictions came into force.
“Yet there has been almost zero clarity from Government since then, leaving businesses in the lurch when it comes to planning ahead, particularly as there have been suggestions of additional measures on top of the standard Tier 3 restrictions but without any further details.
“To then belatedly add the rest of Nottinghamshire to Tier 3 and delay the start of the restrictions has made the county feel like an afterthought throughout this entire process.
“This is people’s lives and livelihoods that are being affected and they deserve better from their Government.
“We have already seen earlier in the pandemic how Leicester has been effectively forgotten by Westminster – at one stage the city was an actual footnote in a late-night tweet from the Health Secretary as he provided an update to its local lockdown situation – and it feels like a similar scenario is unfolding in Nottinghamshire.
“Everyone wants to do the right thing and we understand the public health reasons for these restrictions, but the way this situation has been handled is unacceptable.”
Michael Watkinson, Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) Development Manager for Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire, said the lockdown was a “devastating blow” for the hospitality industry.
He said: “The addition of extra districts of Nottinghamshire into Tier 3 will cause further serious headaches for small businesses and key now is clarity and an even more substantial package of financial support.
“The hospitality industry in North Nottinghamshire is huge, places like Sherwood Forest, the Dukeries and Newark, and I am sure this will be a devastating blow for them as well as for many other local entrepreneurs.
“We must not also forget the supply chains. They are the silent victims of this crisis, taxi cabs, for example, who would usually ferry customers around pubs and restaurants in rural Nottinghamshire. They need help too from the Government.
“At the Federation of Small Businesses we will always understand that safety comes first, but this cannot be at the cost of destroying livelihoods and business sometimes built up over decades and across generations of family.”