‘Don’t follow Republic’s lead with destructive lockdown’: NI retailers

A total shutdown of the retail trade in Northern Ireland, in line with that ordered in the Republic, should be “immediately ruled out” by the NI Executive, a retailers’ representative has said.
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Glyn Roberts said such a move would cost tens of thousands of jobs in shops and in the supply chain if implemented.

The Retail NI chief executive said the ‘level five’ lockdown south of the border, which comes into effect at midnight on Wednesday, is “destructive” and will put an estimated 60,000 jobs in the Republic at risk.

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“The Executive should not make a bad situation even worse,” Mr Roberts said.

Glyn Roberts chief executive of Retail NI. Picture: PacemakerGlyn Roberts chief executive of Retail NI. Picture: Pacemaker
Glyn Roberts chief executive of Retail NI. Picture: Pacemaker

As well as forcing the closure of ‘non-essential’ retail shops, the Republic’s new lockdown measures mean bars and restaurants will only be able to provide a takeaway service.

“It clearly has been talked about in some quarters. What we want to do is to make sure that this is off the agenda,” Mr Roberts said.

“Ministers here should not even consider going down that road.

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“I think it’s very, very clear that retailers – particularly smaller independent retailers – are very low risk in terms of transmission as the dwell time that customers have to spend in those shops is very short.”

Mr Roberts added: “The science backs up what we are saying, but I think the economic arguments back up what we are saying too.”

As well as the closure of shops deemed non-essential in the Republic, no social gatherings will be permitted to take place in homes or gardens – with some exceptions. Similar measures have been introduced in Wales.

The knock-on effect of the Covid disruption is being felt in hospitals with a number of ‘red flag’ cancer surgeries due to take place on Monday and Tuesday not going ahead.

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The Western Health Trust said it was hoped they would take place today, but said the situation was “fluid,” BBC NI has reported.

A ‘red flag’ referral is described by the Belfast Trust as one where “your GP or dentist feels your symptoms need further investigation as soon as possible”.

Meanwhile, Stormont’s health department has published a bank of evidence papers on its website that have helped shape its response to the coronavirus crisis.

Chief Scientific Advisor Professor Ian Young said the documents “will help to inform public debate and discussion on Northern Ireland’s response to the pandemic”.

The scientific evidence documents can be found at www.health-ni.gov.uk

The R number papers are published at www.health-ni.gov.uk/R-Number