Businesses and venues in and around Leamington, Warwick and Kenilworth react to Warwickshire being placed under Tier 3 Covid-19 restrictions when lockdown ends next week

Ron Terry, General Manager of Coombe Abbey Hotel, said: “Following on from the news that Warwickshire has been placed in Tier 3, I am deeply saddened to say that Coombe Abbey Hotel will not be re-opening once the second national lockdown comes to an end.

“We will, of course, be following all Government guidelines and monitoring the situation extremely closely over the coming weeks and eagerly waiting to hear what is said when it is reviewed on December 16.

“Once again, a number of events will be impacted because of this awful situation and our staff have already begun the long process of contacting everyone that has been affected by the measures to speak to them about the next steps.

“Our café and kiosk will continue to stay open in Coombe Abbey Park during the Tier 3 lockdown, offering visitors a takeaway option.

“We are of course very sorry and we are doing all that we can, but again I am calling on everyone’s patience during this difficult time.

“We hope everyone is stays safe and healthy during these extraordinarily tough times.”

Business leaders in Coventry and Warwickshire say the hospitality sector in the region will ‘bear the brunt’ of the latest Coronavirus restrictions.

Both Coventry and Warwickshire have been placed in Tier 3 restrictions which means non-essential retail can reopen but venues such as pubs, restaurants, hotels and other leisure and events venues will be closed.

Louise Bennett, chief executive of the Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce, said it was another bitter blow for the sector in the region.

She said: “We have said from day one that safety must come first and businesses across the region worked incredibly hard at the end of the first lockdown to make themselves COVID secure.

“We were hopeful that the city and the county would be placed into Tier 2 at the end of this lockdown to give our hospitality and events businesses a chance to operate at this crucial time of year for them.

“Once again, they will bear the brunt of the latest restrictions.

“Of course, other businesses are affected too and it will mean continuing to work from home where people can do so. We do, at least, have clarity around the likes of construction and manufacturing which can continue to operate.

“Businesses are going to need support from Government to get through this period but, as we’ve said for some time, there has to be a plan to get the economy open again.

“A viable vaccine is a light at the end of the tunnel but businesses can’t be on hold until that time. We have to use wider testing and a greater evidence-based approach to allow more of our businesses to open up.”

Jo Carroll, owner of Winchcombe Farm Holidays in Upper Tysoe, said: “Tier three is lockdown in everything but name for the hospitability sector.

“This area relies on the tourist economy and today’s news that we have moved from Tier 1 to Tier 3 after a four-week national lockdown is just a devastating and completely unexpected blow.

“This is a crucial time of the year for the hospitality sector and we bear the biggest brunt of these restrictions again with little support from Government, no voice from the local authority and no master plan on how to reopen the shreds of the hospitality sector that manage to survive this fiasco.”

Nick Abell, chair of the Coventry and Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership (CWLEP) said: “We are disappointed with the news that Coventry and Warwickshire has been placed in the higher level of restrictions of Tier 3 and we are struggling to understand why this decision has been taken when looking at the overall picture.

“We will be continuing to press the government for more economic support to help those businesses which are going to be hit hardest because, for some, today’s decision could be the final straw.

“The pandemic has been very severe for a number of sectors in our region. But some, particularly those who rely on seasonal trade, will have anticipated an opportunity to secure business once lockdown two had ended and this has now been taken away from them.

“There needs to be more targeted financial support available otherwise when the furlough scheme ends in March, the number of job losses will rise even further because having the majority of their employees’ wages paid now will make little difference to the tough decisions owners are facing.

“This continues to be a critical period for our economy and all the business support organisations in Coventry and Warwickshire will be working even harder to provide as much help and assistance as possible to ease some of the pain today’s decision is going to cause.”