20th March Update

20th March 2020

On today’s UK Government announcement on business support regarding Coronavirus, Perthshire Chamber CE, Vicki Unite, said:

”We know there are still many unanswered questions and we need to go through the finer detail to understand the implications more fully.

”Following our plea via letters yesterday to our MPs and MSPs calling for swift support through Employment Support Grants, Business Costs, Business Grants and State Aid, we are somewhat heartened to hear today’s response.

”However, whether the support goes far enough to save our businesses or not, remains to be seen. From ongoing engagement with local companies and our partners, there is partcular concern from those in tourism, hospitality, leisure and retail plus the self-employed and we will continue to work together and do whatever we can to support our business community.

”We cannot emphasise enough the critical need for this financial support to be accessible and readily available and we will be continuing to engage with our local businesses to ensure their voices are heard and their needs met. There is no denying that the situation is heartbreaking and we are all pulling together.”

Commenting on the UK Chancellor Rishi Sunak’s announcement today of employment and wage support for businesses, Dr Liz Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Chambers of Commerce said:

“For the Scottish Chamber Network the prioritisation of jobs and business protection is utmost and we are pleased the Chancellor has responded to this.

“The chancellor’s proposals including the Coronavirus jobs retention scheme and support for the self-employed which lightens the burden of those who will have to shut up shop tonight for an indefinite period or for those businesses who are seeing orders dry up.

“We also welcome the chancellor’s pledge to move at speed – with details of how to access the Coronavirus Business Interruption loan scheme becoming available on Monday and the extension of the interest free period is good news for many companies. The urgency of the need for businesses to access the support offered by the UK and Scottish Governments cannot be understated.

“The chancellor said he was aware for the need to keep this all under review as the circumstances change and the Scottish Chamber Network will continue to work with him and others to ensure these measures work practically and speedily.”

The BBC Reported:

Cafes, pubs and restaurants must close from Friday night - except for take-away food - to tackle coronavirus, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said.
All the UK's nightclubs, theatres, cinemas, gyms and leisure centres have also been told to close "as soon as they reasonably can".
Mr Johnson said the situation would be reviewed each month.

The chancellor has said the government will pay 80% of wages for employees who are not working, up to £2,500 a month.
The announcement about closures follows similar measures taken in other countries - including in Ireland, where pubs and bars were asked to close from last Sunday.
There have been 167 deaths in England from the coronavirus outbreak, as well as six in Scotland, three in Wales and one in Northern Ireland.
Speaking at a daily Downing Street press briefing, Mr Johnson said the measures would be enforced "strictly" and that licensing arrangements would make doing so "relatively simple".

He urged people not to go out on Friday night ahead of the closures, stressing: "For now, at least physically, we need to keep people apart."
The prime minister added: "The more effectively we follow the advice we are given, the faster this country will stage both a medical and an economic recovery in full."

20th March Update

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