Simon Hamilton plea to Executive: Don’t let traders suffer a slow death

Belfast Chamber chief executive Simon Hamilton, a former finance and health minister, issued the call for reopening amid suggestions a compromise partial reopening plan had been agreed between Northern Ireland’s two largest parties.

Mr Hamilton said his organisation has had “some positive engagement in recent days with ministers” as he warned of the “untold damage to jobs” of a continuation of the restrictions currently in place.

“The sad fact is that over the last number of weeks, we have witnessed city centre stores that are, quite simply, suffering a slow death,” he said.

“Footfall is down by in excess of 50% year on year at what ought to be one of the busiest trading periods of the year.”

He added: “The Executive faces a crucial decision this week. Businesses recognise the unenviable task that ministers have. However, the blanket extension to the current restrictions favoured by some will do untold damage to jobs.”

Retail NI chief executive Glyn Roberts, meanwhile, said suggestions parts of the hospitality industry and close-contact retailers such as hairdressers and barbers could reopen represent “some progress”.

He added: “There’s no ifs or buts about it – we need to see the reopening of the hospitality sector. Its closure has been a hammer blow to the high street. We’ve had members reporting drops in sales of more than 60%. I think that’s largely down to the reduction in footfall since hospitality closed.

“We’ll obviously need to actually go through the detail on it but it does seem some progress has been made. We do need to get to a position sooner rather than later where the hospitality sector is reopened fully.”