Tag Archive for Coronavirus

Businesses ‘crippled’ by Tier 4 call for more government help

Originally written by Timothy Adler on Small Business
Businesses are calling for further support to help them stave off collapse following the government’s shock imposition of Tier 4 on Saturday.
Specifically, business lobby groups are calling for the business rates holiday to be extended for another 12 months from January, VAT relief and additional direct support for businesses forced to shut.
Business rates are currently due to restart from April, which will cost already punch-drunk companies £12.8bn during 2021, according to property adviser Altus Group.
>See also: Bounce Back Loan Scheme extended until the end of March
Non-essential shops, hairdressers and leisure and entertainment venues were forced to close yesterday after Boris Johnson’s abrupt announcement on Saturday afternoon to enforce new Tier 4 restrictions amid concerns about a more virulent coronavirus strain spreading rapidly in London and the South East.
Health secretary Matt Hancock suggested yesterday Tier 4 will stay in place until the vaccine programme has sufficiently immunised the population – which could take months. There is now talk of Tier 4 being imposed until Easter.
Meanwhile, all non-essential shops in Wales will shut from Boxing Day when it mirrors England’s Tier 4 restrictions, while Scotland and Northern Ireland also go into their own three-week and

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Which small businesses can stay open in Tier 4 lockdown?

Originally written by Timothy Adler on Small Business
Small businesses that must close in Tier 4

non-essential retail, including clothing and homeware stores, vehicle showrooms (other than for rental), betting shops, tailors, tobacco and vape shops, electronic goods and mobile phone shops, auction houses (except for auctions of livestock or agricultural equipment) and market stalls selling non-essential goods. The above business venues can continue to offer click-and-collect (where goods are pre-ordered and collected off the premises) and delivery services.
personal care facilities such as hair, beauty, tanning and nail salons. Tattoo parlours, spas, massage parlours, body and skin piercing services must also close. These services should not be provided in other people’s homes.
hospitality venues such as cafes, restaurants, pubs, bars and social clubs – apart from offering takeaway (until 11pm), click-and-collect, drive-through or delivery.
accommodation including hotels, hostels, guest houses and campsites, except for specific circumstances. See government website for more details.
leisure and sports facilities including leisure centres and indoor gyms, indoor swimming pools, indoor sports courts, indoor fitness and dance studios, indoor riding centres, and indoor climbing walls.
entertainment venues such as theatres, concert halls, cinemas, museums and galleries, casinos, amusement arcades, bingo halls, bowling alleys, skating rinks, go-karting venues, indoor play and soft

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