Imminent announcement possible on post-Christmas Covid rules, says Bristol MP
New rules from Boxing Day have already been announced in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, but not England
Last updated 23rd Dec 2021
One of Bristol's MPs says she wouldn't be surprised if the government makes another announcement on Covid restrictions before Christmas Day.
Number 10 has already said the big day won't be impacted but we don't know anything yet about what will happen afterwards in England.
Specific measures have already been announced for Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland from Boxing Day.
We've spoken to Bristol West MP and Shadow Leader of the House of Commons Thangam Debbonaire after a meeting with business owners, about the current situation.
"One of the problems that we've got at the moment is the uncertainty," she said.
"That's a key theme that's come out, both in response to the survey that I've circulated and in responses at the meeting that I've held today...
"Other businesses are also of course affected by the current situation, but there's a particular concern I have for the hospitality and culture and tourism industries, in that they were pretty much the first to shut, the last to open and Christmas was supposed to be their recovery period."
In Scotland crowds at outdoor public events such as football matches will be capped at 500 from December 26, while indoors that number is far lower at 100 standing and 200 seated.
Table service will also return in hospitality from December 27.
In Wales the rule of six will return in pubs, cinemas and restaurants from Boxing Day, while Nightclubs will be forced to close in Northern Ireland.
It is widely expected that similar measures will be introduced in England, but with no official announcement forthcoming, businesses say it is very difficult to plan.
"One business owner told me that last year they'd been stung with £10,000 worth of food that they'd ordered, Christmas had been cancelled, bookings therefore disappeared and the £10,000 had already been spent," Ms Debbonaire said.
"There comes a point where, these businesses, they're putting it off as long as possible, but if they're going to order goods in, book staff for New Years Eve, there will come a point when they've done that, they've laid out, and that will mean it's too late then for them to make any plans at all.
"Scientists have said this as well but businesses are saying the same thing, even though it is possibly going to hurt them, they say it will hurt them less if they know sooner, what's coming."
Several businesses in Bristol have already announced they will close between Christmas and New Year because of coronavirus including the Gallimaufry bar on Gloucester Road and Watershed cinema on the Harbourside.
Ms Debbonaire says she would not be surprised if restrictions are announced for open venues before Saturday.
"I think it's entirely possible," she said.
"The reason I think it's possible that there might be announcements in the next couple of days, though it's by no means certain, is because of what is happening to the Omicron virus and what is being learnt about it day-by-day, hour-by-hour.
"As an MP I have been briefed by the Chief Medical Officer, the Chief Scientific Officer and Ministers and there are some very challenging days ahead of us in terms of the Omicron virus and what we know from London.
"Unfortunately that is a place where rates are rising very rapidly, hospitalisations are rising rapidly and they're also rising particularly rapidly in the young.
"That's a triple whammy blow for people in the hospitality industry who are banking on these people to come out to New Years Eve parties and Christmas parties and so on."
Yesterday (21/12) more than 100,000 daily positive tests were announced for the first time since the pandemic began.
The 106,122 cases top the previous record for daily infections, when 93,045 were reported on 17 December.
A total of 8,008 people were in hospital with Covid-19 as of Tuesday, the highest level since 22 November and up 4% from a week ago.