Shop local to support our independents
This article was written by Damian Hinds and published in this week's Petersfield Post and Herald editions:
"This week Hampshire moves into the middle tier – High Alert – as we come out of the fuller lockdown. This means more shops will be open; pubs can serve meals, subject to restrictions; a limited number of spectators can attend sporting fixtures.
The bad news is that we still have to have so many restrictions in place, with the impact on everyone’s lives, and on businesses and jobs. The better news is that the restrictions have been slowing the spread – crucial for protecting vulnerable people, but also for protecting against what would be even worse impacts on both economy and society if the spread rate accelerated out of control.
In the end, the question is not whether we would rather things were more normal – we all do – but rather what is the balance between really hard things done now and what would otherwise be an even worse situation later – for both lives and livelihoods. People in East Hampshire and nationally continue to show enormous fortitude in these unprecedented circumstances.
I know a lot of people want to know more about how different areas are assigned to different tiers – and what would have to happen to move between them. That has been a major subject of discussion in Parliament too over the last week.
It isn’t, and shouldn't be, a totally formulaic approach, but there are five main measures that the public health advisers look at:
- The rate of known cases
- The rate of known cases among the over 60s
- The growth rate
- The test-positivity rate (i.e. what % of tests result in a positive)
- Pressure on the NHS
It has to be a ‘basket’ of measures because they tell you different things, albeit related. Some tell you about right now and some are more predictive.
Another question that comes up a lot is about how the geographical areas are set for being in any given tier. It reflects not just administrative boundaries. It also takes into account travel-to-work areas, and NHS areas, because that reflects the patterns of immediate-term capacity issues for hospitals.
The tiers will be reviewed fortnightly, and the system expires at the beginning of February. Parliament would then need to vote on any extension.
The major economic hit from Covid is indisputable, though we did see a rebound in Quarter 3, with economic growth in Hampshire estimated to be faster than the UK average. A lot has been business investment-led growth, rather than consumer, so seasonal spending will be even more significant.
This Saturday, 5th December, is Small Business Saturday. So many brilliant local small businesses have had a very, very tough 2020. This year, more than ever, it is important to celebrate those small businesses, and support them in this crucial Christmas trading season.
Hospitality is a sector that has been especially hard hit, despite the furlough scheme and business support schemes. Eat Out to Help Out was a boost for that time, but now businesses will be without the all-important Christmas party and group bookings.
But family household groups can eat out in Tier 2, and I hope many families will this season try out East Hants pubs and restaurants new to them, as well as returning to old favourites.
This week also sees the return of so-called ‘non-essential’ retail. It may be called that, but those retailers certainly are essential to our town centres, as well as to those whose jobs depend on them. And they’re often an essential part, too, of what adds enjoyment to life.
And with the announcement this week that retailers will be allowed to extend their opening hours from Monday to Saturday in the run up to Christmas and through January (once confirmed with the local planning authority), there is more opportunity for trade and more choice for customers.
A reminder too that many smaller local firms now do delivery or collection – many of them are listed on the Deliver East Hants page on my website.
We may not be able to congregate freely with friends this year, but we can certainly make a big difference by family dining, and shopping, locally.
And everyone still has a very important role to play in bringing forward the time when we can safely say we have beaten the virus. The simplest messages remain the most important: masks, hand-washing, giving others extra space."
