London stores and businesses desperate as the new Covid curb stops the Christmas jackpot | Coronavirus

Bethnal Green, East LondonOn Saturday night, popular plant warehouse manager Smen Smen learns that the store must close six days before Christmas and gestures to his store, which is full of people buying festive gifts. I was afraid.

“I absolutely hate it, such a short notice. I think it’s painful to have to close before Christmas. Our whole business is perishable. These plants are from yesterday’s newspaper It will be just as useless. “

His daughter placed a man in the store, put her head in her hand, and said, “Oh my god.”

Their reaction summarizes the reaction of hundreds and thousands of owners of non-essential stores and services in London, southeast England and east this weekend.Store owners and business leaders have branded the sudden movements in these areas into radical ones. New Tier 4 limits As an “absolute disaster,” we warn that it will cause enormous damage to companies that rely on important preparations until Christmas.

The Prime Minister’s announcement that unnecessary shops and services such as hairdressers must be closed from midnight on Saturday was greeted with distrust and anger.

Business leaders were discouraged and united, calling the government’s panic response a “hit” and unable to shift Christmas stocks to many companies.

The UK Retail Consortium (BRC) has branded Boris Johnson’s announcement of Tier 4 as disastrous in the new demand for greater financial support for companies in difficult times.

Its CEO, Helen Dickinson, even questioned whether the “very regrettable” decision would be of great help in halting the Covid-19 case.

“”Retailers have invested millions of pounds to create Covid’s safe stores for customers and staff. Sage’s advice is that closing a non-essential retail store will have minimal impact on the spread of the virus.

Elsewhere, Rachel Robasan, leader of the City of Westminster, including London’s West End, said the move “looked into the abyss after the last breath of pre-Christmas sales.” ..

Back on the street, there was a similarly dark atmosphere opposite Smen’s sister store, Flower Warehouse. Again, the focus was on a large inventory and now suddenly obsolete – including 20 newly arrived Christmas trees. Clerk Tara Kirwan said the new restrictions guaranteed a desolate Christmas for her due to lost wages. “It’s going to be a big deal, it really is. It’s crazy because this place is really airy and spacious.”

Along the way, in the hive delicatessen, clerk Diego Frumian described the seemingly sudden decision to move to stricter restrictions as painful.

He states: “It’s very painful for the business. It was helpful to have ideas in advance. The most devastating are these sudden changes.”

In reference to the fact that the capital’s Tier 3 restrictions were revealed on Monday, Flumian added: “We changed at the beginning of the week, and now we have to change again. But I understand that too. We need to do that and the politicians say they I know what they are doing. “

Although the hive remains open for take-out. He said the business would be hit hard, and it was already. Usually, on Saturday you will need three workers. Yesterday I only needed Frumian.

Along the same stretch, at Hurnundeki Hairdresser, there was news that the business suddenly left just a few hours of trading before Christmas left a word for the staff. When asked about future measures, one of the salon staff did not believe. “What?” He said. When asked to elaborate on his reaction, he simply picked his head.

Following last week’s numbers, the Prime Minister’s announcement shows that the second blockade in November ended the steady increase in retail sales over the six months.

The clothing store was hit particularly hard Due to blockade restrictions last month, most were reopened in December, with strong sales expected for Christmas to reclaim lost land.

In March, sales in London fell by more than 94% on the first Saturday after the blockade was imposed.Initial estimate of Footprints in London According to BRC on Saturday, it was already down 40%.

BRC policymaker Diane Wehrle confirmed that most internet retailers can no longer guarantee gifts that arrive by December 25, so most shops are in stock for the last few days of Christmas shopping. Said he was.

Retail group stocks are expected to fall when financial markets open on Monday, but investors sell to avoid the effects of the third blockade and focus on the benefits of vaccines that open the economy from spring. It is expected to suppress the urge to want. ..