Cash for businesses hit by new restrictions expected ‘within the next day or two’

The chief executive of Derry City and Strabane District Council, John Kelpie, said a “financial support package” is likely to be announced soon.

The area has been rocked by a rapid increase in coronavirus cases in recent weeks.

Derry City and Strabane has quickly moved from one of the areas least impacted by the virus across the UK to what Northern Ireland’s chief scientific advisor Professor Ian Young described last week as “one of the very highest, if not the highest” in the UK in terms of cases per 100,000 people.

On Thursday, the First and Deputy First Ministers Arlene Foster and Michelle O’Neill announced strict new restrictions for the area.

The new rules mean hospitality businesses - including bars and restaurants - can only open for delivery or takeaway.

First Minister Arlene Foster described the measures as a “hammer blow” for the local economy during a press conference on Thursday.

The council chief executive, speaking to BBC Radio Foyle earlier today, suggested financial support for the hospitality industry could soon be forthcoming.

“It’s a very trying time for our hospitality industry in the weeks ahead,” he said.

“It is a bit unclear at this minute in time. We’ve been, as a council, working with our councillors, our MLAs and our MPs to work with Stormont to try and secure a financial package, a financial support package, for our hospitality businesses over the next couple of weeks.”

He added: “Hopefully there will be an announcement on that within the next day or two, we are told.

“We don’t actually know the details as yet.”

Mr Kelpie continued: “As we understand it, offficials have been working all weekend in the Department of Finance and will be presenting to Ministers financial support package opportunities.

“Those are, of course, in addition to the other support packages that currently exist.”