NI traders: We have been forgotten and left hung out to dry by Stormont Executive

First Minister Arlene Foster and Deputy First Minister Michelle O’Neill confirmed the imposition of a strict two-week ‘circuit break’ on Thursday night – requiring non-essential retail outlets and much of the hospitality sector to close from Friday 27.

The decision provoked outrage from retail traders, hospitality representatives and close contact service providers, who have spent large sums of money on Covid infection control measures. The latest clampdown is similar to the lockdown imposed in March and April, with the exception that schools will remain open.

Director of the NI Takeaway Association Michael Henderson said that up to 2,000 jobs currently provided by his members are now at risk.

He said that without immediate financial aid, up to 25% of takeaways will close, and added: “We believe our sector has been forgotten and left hung out to dry by our Executive.”

Speaking to BBC Newsline on Friday, Health Minister Robin Swann acknowledged the hardships being caused by the repeated lockdowns.

He described the latest lockdown as “necessary so we can return to as normal a Christmas as possible.”

Writing in Saturday’s News Letter, Arlene Foster praises the dedication of the frontline NHS staff and acknowledges the hardships caused by the Covid infection control measures.

“Putting in the hard yards now can prevent further disruption to society in the future and the risk of a tsunami of poverty, mental illness and a crisis in routine illness,” she says.

Michelle O’Neill said the lockdown decision was “difficult but right”.

The Sinn Fein deputy leader criticised the DUP-led Department for the Economy, claiming it was unnecessarily delaying the distribution of support funding. She said the executive needed to work through the weekend to pull together a new financial package for those businesses set to be hit by the latest measures.

“The executive needs to meet today, tomorrow, Sunday, Monday to get that money out the door,” she said.

Ms O’Neill added: “We had to take these difficult decisions but it came on the back of strong medical and scientific advice, and was necessary.”

Roger Pollen of the Federation of Small Businesses NI said that for a great many of its members “their very survival is now at risk”.

Mr Pollen said: “We continue to urge everyone to ‘shop small, buy local’ in the run up to Christmas. This has never been more important.”

David Gough, owner of the Newton Brunch Bar in east Belfast, described the latest lockdown announcement as “devastating”.

He said the “constant changing of the rules” is “killing businesses”, and urged Stormont to ensure financial support is paid out.

On Friday night the BBC released details of an email reply sent by DUP minister Edwin Poots to all Stormont MLAs – following an email from a member of the public criticising the Executive’s decision to go into lockdown.

In his reply Mr Poots says “the failure of the health department will inevitably lead to the failure of the economy”.

However, chairman of the BMA’s Northern Ireland Council Dr Tom Black has welcomed the new lockdown decision but said it should have been taken five weeks ago.

“We need this lockdown if we are going to take the pressure off the hospitals. The hospitals are at breaking point,” he said.

“We should have brought in more severe measures five weeks ago if we were going to stop this happening now. It’s happened, we have a lot of hard work to do,” Dr Black added.

• Health Minister Robin Swann has urged the public to “maintain our focus on fighting the virus”.

He said pushing down infection rates remains the priority.

In a statement last night, he said: “By each of our actions, we can give our health service and those working in it some breathing space for Christmas and allow some more of us to be together over the holiday period.

“It won’t be a normal Christmas but we can make it a better one if we strictly follow public health advice in the coming weeks.”