Chesterfield MP 'shares concerns' town is 'surrounded' by areas in tier 2 lockdown

The town joined most of the rest of Derbyshire to be placed in the lower tier of ‘medium’ restrictions after Boris Johnson’s announcement of a three-tier system on Monday.

Labour MP Toby Perkins says he understands many residents will be concerned that restrictions could quickly be escalated – with the town ‘surrounded’ by areas in the second tier like South Yorkshire, Nottinghamshire and High Peak.

Mr Perkins says he also has serious concerns about the viability of pubs in the area – even if Chesterfield remains in the lower tier and they can remain open.

"I’m very troubled by the impact on the hospitality sector,” he said.

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"While they can stay open, those ‘wet pubs’ that predominantly serve alcohol and not food are going to find it very difficult to make a profit in those circumstances.

"But I have seen the escalation in numbers of cases in Chesterfield and share the concerns of residents who will look at it and see the town surrounded by tier two areas.”

Mr Perkins asked the Prime Minister in the House of Commons yesterday what support the Government will provide to businesses which remain open but have become unsustainable due to the restrictions that have already been imposed.

He said: “The Prime Minister will be as aware as anyone else that people don’t generally go to the pub to meet their own wife.

"They will go to the pub to be with other people. In the current programme that the Prime Minister has put together, there is no support there for those pubs.

"He is saying that he will support pubs which are forced to close but many of those pubs will find their business model and their businesses untenable.

"So will the Prime Minister do more to support those pubs that might be open but are frankly unable to make a living.”

Mr Johnson said lower business rates, VAT cuts and a job support scheme had all been introduced to help businesses that may remain open but are struggling.

However, Mr Perkins says he has heard from one landlord in the town who had already been forced to close his business.

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