Mayor warns Tier 3 restrictions will 'decimate' Bristol's hospitality sector
Bristol Mayor Marvin Rees has warned Tier 3 restrictions in the city will “decimate” the hospitality sector.
The Government has confirmed Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire will all be placed under the toughest level of restrictions when the national lockdown ends.
Bristol City Council is forecasting Tier 3 restrictions will cost the authority £2.8million per month - due to a shortfall in Government funding to support businesses and vulnerable people.
All essential and non-essential shops in Bristol will be allowed to reopen, but the hospitality sector will be limited to a takeaway offering - something Mr Rees warned will “further decimate the sector”.
Mr Rees said: “While we all want to get back to normal as quickly as possible we also must get the Covid-19 infection rate in the city down. Covid-19 is devastating lives and livelihoods – people are becoming very unwell and businesses and workers are facing enormous financial challenges.
“Covid-19 is transmitted from person to person, and we know that one of the main reasons for the recent increase in infection rates is because people are going into other people’s homes when they shouldn’t be.
"We all want to see friends and family, but for now it is really important we protect those we love by not visiting them. The sooner we all do this, the sooner we can get back to some normality.”
The number of people contracting coronavirus in Bristol rose sharply from September, and the city now has an infection rate of 390.2 new cases per 100,000 people.
Bristol’s Director of Public Health Christina Gray said: “In the past week we’ve seen a slight drop in infection rates across the city. However we must not be complacent, we still must do all we can to further reduce infections.
"People are getting seriously ill, and we’ve seen increased numbers of people needing hospital treatment. This, alongside the usual winter pressures, is putting a strain on local NHS services. Please do all you can to protect Bristol.”
Tier 3 will come into force on 00:01 on Wednesday 2 December. While all essential and non-essential retail can re-open, there are restrictions on socialising and the hospitality sector.
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