LISTEN: Traders warn firms will close due to North West lockdown

By Michael McHugh, PA

Firms will close and jobs will be lost following the fresh virus restrictions, traders in Londonderry have warned.

They expressed bitter disappointment at measures to curb virus spread across the North West.

Hospitality businesses are to be confined to takeaway, delivery and outdoor dining after Derry and Strabane registered some of the highest infection levels in the UK.

Londonderry Chamber president Redmond McFadden said: “We have to acknowledge that the consequences of these measures will mean greater pressures on our already struggling businesses and may sadly lead to business closures and job losses, particularly in the hospitality sector.

“This virus poses a real and dangerous threat to both our society and economy, and is being spread by the carelessness of individuals.

“These new restrictions need to act as a wake-up call for all of us across the North West and I am pleading with everyone in our communities to take this threat seriously.”

He said it was an opportunity to suppress the virus again to avoid harsher lockdowns in the coming weeks and months.

“Everyone following the rules and acting responsibly will lead to a drop in cases, allow us to protect our most vulnerable, and keep our local businesses open.”

Northern Ireland Hotels Federation chief executive Janice Gault questioned why a Derry-Donegal strategy was not deployed earlier.

She said: “The hope is that this localised circuit breaker will reverse the upward infection rate and help to reduce the spread of the virus.

“There are concerns that the curtailment and effective closure of a well-regulated and responsible industry may lead to an increase of social gatherings in private dwellings and other venues which are significantly more difficult to police.”

Dr Tom Black, BMA Northern Ireland Council chairman, said it was unfortunate that the Executive have had to take this action but it was good to see them acting so swiftly as quick action was one of the ways to keep the virus at bay.

“The rise in numbers in the north-west has been extremely worrying and while the spread seems to be mainly among younger people there is always the risk that it is passed on to the older, frailer and more vulnerable and that is when we will see increased hospitalisations and fatalities.

“At the start of the pandemic we talked about flattening the curve and I think we are now in that place again.

“We really need to slow the spread to make sure our hospitals are not overwhelmed.

“Talking to my colleagues in hospitals I can see that many of them have not recovered physically or emotionally from the first wave, and a second wave with increased hospitalisations would really cause immense strain on our already stretched system.”