Stratford's hospitality businesses call for more government support following Tier 3 announcement
Continued Tier 3 restrictions will be devastating to many hospitality businesses, according to a Stratford restaurant owner.
Flair Gougoulia, from El Greco and also a member of the Stratford Hospitality Group, said: "This depressing news will not be a surprise to many with the rise in local covid infection rates over recent days. It will however be devastating for the many hospitality and leisure businesses in the area who had been clinging to the hope, that after a year that has brought these sectors to their knees. they would be able to try to recoup some of their losses in this key trading time.
"Losing any opportunity to trade now could prove the final nail in the coffin for some. The Government must now step up and support these sectors to get them through the long low trading winter months, so they are able to reopen when things improve next year. If not, the millions of pounds of Government financial support given in Lockdown 1 will have been for nothing. As a town, a region and a country we will need these sectors to be there to help with the national recovery in 2021 and beyond.
"And we must not forget that with this news today there will also be many disappointed local families who had Christmas meals planned in many of our lovely local restaurants, hotels and pubs. For some today Christmas really has been cancelled."