Government handling of Notts lockdown ‘nothing short of abysmal’
The chief executive of the region’s biggest business organisation has hit out at the Government’s “unacceptable” handling of the Nottinghamshire Tier 3 lockdown.
The new resrictions, which are set to be introduced at one minute past midnight tomorrow (October 30), will see the entire county placed into the “Very High” category of Covid-19 rules.
Scott Knowles, chief executive of the East Midlands Chamber, has slammed the Government’s handling of the negotiations leading up to the lockdown as “abysmal” which has left “confusion” among businesses.
Scott Knowles
He added: “Last week was filled with rumours, hearsay and leaks about the possibility of Nottingham, as well as the areas of Broxtowe, Gedling and Rushcliffe, going into Tier 3 lockdown but the lack of confirmation from the Government created huge uncertainty over the weekend.
“It wasn’t until Monday when an announcement was finally made – by local leaders, rather than Westminster – and we said it was vital to provide clear communication to businesses in the days before the restrictions came into force.
“Yet there has been almost zero clarity from Government since then, leaving businesses in the lurch when it comes to planning ahead, particularly as there have been suggestions of additional measures on top of the standard Tier 3 restrictions but without any further details.
“To then belatedly add the rest of Nottinghamshire to Tier 3 and delay the start of the restrictions has made the county feel like an afterthought throughout this entire process. This is people’s lives and livelihoods that are being affected and they deserve better from their Government.
“We have already seen earlier in the pandemic how Leicester has been effectively forgotten by Westminster – at one stage the city was an actual footnote in a late-night tweet from the Health Secretary as he provided an update to its local lockdown situation – and it feels like a similar scenario is unfolding in Nottinghamshire.
“Everyone wants to do the right thing and we understand the public health reasons for these restrictions, but the way this situation has been handled is unacceptable.”
The new rules are set to be reviewed in 28 days.
