Liverpool City Region COVID-19 Updates

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Joint statement released as new Covid-19 restrictions due to come into place

OVER 1000 publicans have now signed a powerful open letter to the Chancellor, Rishi Sunak, urging him and the Government to urgently support pubs or be responsible for mass closures, job losses and hardship. The letter also urges the Government to think again over the damaging 10pm curfew, which has seen pubs up and down the country face a business threatening drop in trade.

The letter, organised by the Campaign for Pubs, the national grassroots campaign group representing pubs, publicans and pub goers, expresses publicans' dismay at the woeful lack of support from the Chancellor in his Winter Economic Statement and points out that without further help many pubs now face imminent closure under new Government imposed restrictions.

The 1000 signatures coincide with the second weekend of pubs operating with a 10pm curfew and mandatory table service. After the second Friday night of the 10pm curfew, publicans up and down the country are reporting huge drops in trade, many saying that the Friday, 2 October, was:- "the worst Friday ever." Many pubs are reporting trading figures 60% to 70% down. 1 publican said:- "I don't even want to talk about how soul destroying last night was." Another said:- "I'm 25% down from my break even point for the second week in a row can't carry losses for too much longer will have to make some decisions Monday!"

There is huge anger towards the Government and a sense that pubs are being both scapegoated and allowed to close, with no care for the many people and families whose livelihoods depend on the pub. One said:- "We're all going to lose everything, unless we get help, BIG HELP. It's what the Government wants, blatantly obvious. We are being targeted and made to blame." Another added:- "I think Boris and his advisors should come and work a shift! Let's see how the rules change after that!"

Many publicans are now considering whether to close their pubs and either mothball them until after the restrictions end or to simply walk away altogether, especially with many pubs still facing large rent bills from uncaring and intransigent pubcos and commercial landlords.

There is real anger amongst licensees about the 10pm curfew, which has no scientific basis, but which makes it impossible for some pubs reliant on Friday and Saturday night trade to operate profitably. Many publicans and others have expressed the folly of such a policy, for which the Government has already been forced to admit it made no impact assessment and which has already been shown to have led to crowding on the streets and on public transport at closing time, and furthermore risks people turning their backs on the controlled environment of the pub and instead going to uncontrolled social gatherings in their homes or other unregulated venues.

The letter calls for an urgent package of support for pubs, warning the Chancellor that if he doesn't listen to UK publicans, he and the Government will be directly responsible for mass pub closures, job losses and hardship among thousands of families reliant on the pub trade. The measures being called for are:-

► 5% (or even better zero) VAT on ALL sales in pubs.

► Grants to cover full costs if pubs cannot viably trade due to the current restrictions and have to close temporarily.

► A business rates holiday extension, with a complete overhaul for business rates for pubs prior to recommencing.

► A statutory right to an immediate rent review for all pubs, to tackle the fact many pubs are facing wholly unreasonable rent levels, considering the Government restrictions and reduced trade.

The letter lays out the stark reality that many pubs are better off closing due to the new restrictions, and highlights the unfairness of the fact that, despite his own Government imposing these restrictions, the Chancellor announced nothing to help pubs through this next 6 months.

The letter urges the Chancellor to meet with publicans, having ignored the voice of the people that actually devote their lives to running pubs for far too long (as opposed to those representing large pubcos and breweries). The letter ends with such a plea:

So we are urging you to listen to the nation's publicans; to meet with us and understand that we need urgent support now to get through the next 6 months. If you ignore us, you and the Government will be responsible for the closure and loss of many important pubs up and down the country, as well as causing loss and hardship for publicans, pub staff and their families.

Publicans all over the UK are urged to #SpeakUpForPubs and add their name to the letter, which can be signed online here.

Commenting, Paul Crossman, Chair of the Campaign for Pubs and licensee of 3 pubs in York said:- "1000 publicans up and down the country have now signed our open letter calling on the Government to urgently support pubs and review the questionable recent restrictions. These latest measures have consigned thousands of pubs and other hospitality venues to a nightmarish limbo. Pubs that are normally perfectly viable, and that contribute enormously to the economy and the public purse, not to mention the wellbeing of their communities, have been rendered non-viable overnight. It is clearly unreasonable for them to be expected to continue trading at a loss with no help from the Government whose own restrictions have increased costs whilst reducing trade to an unsustainable level. Most pubs are very small businesses that have worked very hard and invested heavily in order to be part of the solution to the Covid crisis, something which was working well according to the Government's own evidence. There is real concern that recent measures have actually reduced the safety of customers and staff, and so may be imperilling the businesses of now desperate publicans for no good reason. Support for our businesses and employees is now crucial, and an immediate review of the measures is essential."

Dawn Hopkins, Vice-Chair of the Campaign for Pubs and licensee of the Rose, Norwich (a wet led pub) said:- "We urge publicans up and down the country to sign this letter to make it clear to the Government that unless they change course, many pubs will close and many jobs will be lost. Britain's publicans feel completely ignored and betrayed by Rishi Sunak and the Government. Their restrictions are making many pubs unviable yet the Government are offering no support. If Rishi Sunak and Boris Johnson ignore us then they will go down in history as the men who destroyed the Great British pub, so we urge them to change course, look again at these destructive rules, and to either allow us to trade safely and viably as we were, or to properly support us."

Total UK cases COVID19 cases in and around Liverpool City Region

DUE to a technical issue, with the data supplied by both Public Health England and NHSX, we have been informed that there has been a delay in publishing a number of Covid19 cases in England. This means the total reported over the coming days will include some additional cases from the period between 24 September and 1 October 2020, increasing the number of cases reported.

The total number of UK Coronavirus (COVID-19) infections that have been laboratory confirmed, within the UK, has risen by:- 12,872 cases and the total number now stand at:- 480,017, that includes tests carried out by commercial partners which are not included in the 4 National totals.

The number of COVID-19 associated UK fatalities added to the total, was sadly reported to be:- 49 according to the Department of Health. The total number of deaths of people who have had a positive test result confirmed by a Public Health or NHS laboratory is:- 42,317.

The number of COVID-19 patients currently in UK Hospitals:- 2,428. The current number of COVID-19 patients currently in mechanical ventilation beds in UK Hospitals:- 368. Daily number of COVID-19 patients admitted to UK Hospitals:- 324.

In England, there are a total of 409,534 confirmed cases. North West - total of 91,823 confirmed cases.

The number of laboratory confirmed cases within the Liverpool City Region are as follows:-

Area and number of confirmed cases:-

Risen by:-

ENHANCED RESTRICTIONS ARE NOW IN EFFECT FOR LIVERPOOL CITY REGION

► Liverpool, 7,158 confirmed cases.

433

► Halton, 1,598 confirmed cases.

► Knowsley, 2,374 confirmed cases.

► Sefton, 3,190 confirmed cases.

151

► St. Helens, 2,442 confirmed cases

115

► Wirral, 4,114 confirmed cases.

123

Colour Key:-

1 to 10

11 to 20

21 to 30

31 to 40

41 to 50

51 to100

100 over

The number of laboratory confirmed cases within Local Authorities around the Liverpool City Region are as follows:-

► Blackburn with Darwen, 2,816 confirmed cases.

► Blackpool, 1,482 confirmed cases.

► Bolton, 5,082 confirmed cases.

► Bury, 2,827 confirmed cases.

► Cheshire East, 3,094 confirmed cases.

► Cheshire West and Chester, 2,850 confirmed cases.

► Lancashire, 13,211 confirmed cases.

► Manchester, 8,770 confirmed cases.

► Oldham, 4,498 confirmed cases.

► Preston, 2,431 confirmed cases.

► Rochdale, 3,636 confirmed cases.

► Salford, 3,382 confirmed cases.

► Stockport, 2,948 confirmed cases.

► Tameside, 3,215 confirmed cases.

► Trafford, 2,574 confirmed cases.

► Warrington, 2,610 confirmed cases

► Wigan, 3,805 confirmed cases.

Daily reported Covid19 deaths are now measured across the UK as deaths that occurred within 28 days of the 1st laboratory confirmed positive Covid19 test. Daily and cumulative numbers of COVID19 patients admitted to Hospital. Data are not updated every day by all 4 nations and the figures are not comparable as Wales include suspected COVID19 patients while the other nations include only confirmed cases.

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Liverpool City Region COVID19 Updates ... and Important Emergency Notices ...

Total UK cases COVID19 cases in and around Liverpool City Region

Liverpool City Region COVID19 Updates
... and Important Emergency Notices ...