Sadiq Khan: Tier 3 'catastrophic' for London's hospitality industry
14 December 2020, 12:07 | Updated: 14 December 2020, 16:26
Mayor's reply to London moving into Tier 3
Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has branded Tier 3 restrictions "catastrophic" for the capital's hospitality sectors.
With London likely to enter Tier 3 restrictions within the week James O'Brien asked Sadiq Khan for his views.
Mr Khan said if the capital is moved from Tier 2 into Tier 3 the Government must provide extra support.
He said imposing the toughest tier across the capital would be a "blunt instrument", arguing that the rise in cases was not linked to hospitality venues but instead due to a significant increase in schools and colleges.
Mr Khan said ministers could use a meeting on Monday to decide London's status rather than wait for Wednesday's review of the allocation of tiers across England.
READ MORE: Thousands of Christmas shoppers descend on central London
He told James that none of the tiers addresses the issue of pubs, bars, and cultural venues.
The Mayor said should the capital be moved into Tier 3 then it would be "catastrophic" for those sectors.
Urging the Government to provide "additional financial support," the Mayor said it would help businesses avoid "going bust."
READ MORE: Mayor calls for secondary schools to close early for Christmas as London faces Tier 3
He said not only had they had "an awful nine months," they had also "spent a fortune" ensuring their facilities were Covid-safe.
He warned that without support these businesses could close permanently without support.
The Mayor branded these industries "crucial for our economic recovery."
Health minister Helen Whately is understood to have painted a gloomy picture of the coronavirus situation in London to the capital's MPs with the city verging on a move up into Tier 3.
She was said to have told them in a briefing on Monday morning that a final decision ahead of Wednesday's review is yet to be made but said there is extreme concern in Government about the figures.
