The uncertainty of almost everything at the moment is probably the biggest problem we face as an industry. Being unable to plan and forecast has a crippling effect on business, not just strategically, tactically and financially but also, in how you communicate with colleagues and customers. The pandemic has done much more harm than the devastating numbers alone illustrate.
The government’s shock announcement on Saturday, that a second full national lockdown would come into effect from Thursday dealt another severe blow to all in hospitality.
Then, as if to add insult to injury, Michael Gove appeared yesterday morning on both the BBC’s Andrew Marr Show and Sky News’ Sophie Ridge on Sunday to tell us that the lockdown in reality has no end date.
You can see and listen to part of Gove’s interview with Sophie Ridge below. Once all the waffle is ignored he says that until the R Rate is below 1, lockdown will continue.
Sophie Ridge: “If the data on the whole is not looking as you were hoping then the national lockdown could be extended.” Michael Gove: “Yes.”
England’s month-long lockdown could be extended beyond 2 December if necessary, cabinet minister Michael Gove has told Sky News.
Read more: https://t.co/itimF6QT9x pic.twitter.com/PLj7QfS8YO
— SkyNews (@SkyNews) November 1, 2020
Gove did another interview on BBC1 and said the same to Andrew Marr.
There are a number of big questions that follow on from Mr Gove’s ‘announcement’ that need to be answered by the government.
Following the inept timing of the press conference on Saturday from Boris Johnson, why did Michael Gove appear on Sky News and BBC1 the next morning adding more uncertainty? Didn’t Boris know that at the time?
For clarity, Boris Johnson stated clearly on Saturday that the next lockdown will come to an end at midnight 2 December, to be replaced if required, with the current tiered regional system. The next morning Mr Gove told the BBC and Sky that any decisions would “obviously be guided by the facts”.
The fact that the government can’t hold a press conference on time, and that ministers can appear on live television to contradict the Prime Minister does indicate a total lack of communication between them. And that is a worry given what is on their plate currently, and ‘our’ reliance on them being able to deal with it.
Furlough scheme extension announced this evening by Rishi Sunak, with full details from HM Treasury
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Hospitality & Catering News: No end to lockdown – 2 November 2020 – No end to lockdown.
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