Covid restrictions: 'Worry and anxiety' for London businesses already struggling for survival, warns Sadiq Khan

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Businesses hit hard by Covid restrictions face even more 'worry and anxiety' by the delay in easing remaining restrictions by up to a month.

Boris Johnson ordered the postponement to the final phase of his coronavirus road map because of the rapidly spreading Delta variant first identified in India.

But London's Mayor warned many businesses already struggling for survival faced a grim few weeks ahead.

"The planned reduction in financial support at the end of June could now have dire consequences for jobs and livelihoods, pushing more businesses in sectors such as culture, nightlife and hospitality to the brink of collapse," Sadiq Khan said.

"The Government must now act urgently to extend economic support to all businesses who need it – including extending the full business rates holiday, the evictions moratorium and the existing furlough scheme until all restrictions are lifted.

"It’s also important that ministers continue to accelerate the rollout of the vaccines so that restrictions can be lifted as soon as possible," Mr Khan added.

Empty theatre seats in London's West End

Experts feared going ahead with Step 4 on June 21 as anticipated could lead to hospital admissions on the scale of the first wave of Covid-19, heaping unsustainable pressure on the health service.

To avert this, Mr Johnson said during a Downing Street press conference that it is “sensible to wait just a little longer” as he put back the end of all legal limits on social contact by a month.

Speaking on Tuesday  Cabinet Office minister Michael Gove said the Government is "as confident as confident can be" about July 19 being the date for the end of England’s coronavirus restrictions.

He told ITV’s Good Morning Britain: “The data shows that we should be in a position to have vaccinated so many people by that date in July that we will be able to lift restrictions.

"Now, you know, none of us can predict the future with 100% certainty – there could be something bizarre and unprecedented that occurs.

“But, on the basis of all the information that we have, then we will have successfully protected such a large section of population, and of course children will be facing summer holidays and that brings the infection rate down. So we’re as confident as confident can be about that date."