“Probably inevitable” Guildford will move into a higher Covid tier says leader of Borough Council

Guildford’s council leader says it is “probably inevitable” Guildford will move into a higher Covid tier.

In the seven days up to yesterday (October 29), the Tier 1 borough had a 25% increase in the number of people testing positive for coronavirus, compared with the week before.

There were 187 cases – nine higher than the borough of Elmbridge, which has been in the higher alert Tier 2 for two weeks and had a 15% drop in the number of cases in the last week.

While recognising it is not his decision, Joss Bigmore, leader of Guildford Borough Council, said: “Cases are going up, we could be next week, the week after, but it looks more likely than not.

“Given what’s happened to Elmbridge and elsewhere, it’s probably inevitable, not just in Guildford but a lot more of the county will experience a higher tier.

“All we can do is keep following the rules and keep looking after each other.

“We need to be doing absolutely everything to avoid another national lockdown.

“I’m willing to sacrifice social interactions to allow my and all the borough’s kids to be able to go to school.”

Any decision to move tier is not a fast process and it is up to the Department of Health and Social Care, who will take into account the recommendations of Surrey County Council’s public health team.

A move to Tier 2 would prove particularly testing for businesses like pubs, as the stricter conditions ban households from mixing indoors.

In Middlesbrough for example, the hospitality trade has seen a drop of about 70% in the last four weeks since tougher restrictions were introduced, although this included a ban on mixing with other households in any setting.

Amanda Masters, chief executive of the business improvement district Experience Guildford, said businesses had adapted well to the social distancing restrictions, with for example new awnings like at Positano Italian restaurant in Tunsgate.

The Keep on Castle Street has managed to introduce another four tables by transforming an outside smoking area into a canopied area with industrial-strength heaters.

“Pubs and bars are the most legislated sector anyway so they’re managing it well, they’re really on it in terms of spacing and screens,” said Amanda.

“But at the end of the day, they have a reduced number of tables and a reduced number of hours.”

She thought a higher tier needed to be accompanied by a “real” financial settlement. “However I’m not sure how much spare change Rishi Sunak has left behind the sofa,” she added.

Some of Guildford’s businesses missed out on government grants in the first wave because eligibility depended on rateable value. “If it was over £51,000 you didn’t get anything,” said Amanda.

“And in Guildford that’s not just the big chains, that’s some of the indies as well.

“We managed to get help for some through the council’s discretionary fund but not all, because that was to cover the whole borough not just the town.

“It could mean the difference between being able to pay your suppliers and rent and not being able to open their doors again after lockdown.”

Guildford’s infection rate – 136.2 per 100,000 population – is now higher than some parts of Tier 2 London, for example, Sutton where the rate is 124.5.

A Surrey County Council spokesman said the decision was taken to move the whole of London up at the same time because its population is so mobile. “That’s not the same in Surrey,” he said.

“The rate per 100,000 is not the only factor taken into consideration either. The indicators include infection rates and test positivity, including amongst older and more at-risk age groups, as well as the growth rate, hospital admissions and other factors.”