Wiltshire should be placed in the lowest Covid restriction Tier when lockdown ends next week, according to Wiltshire Council Opposition Leader Cllr Ian Thorn.
In a letter to council leader, Philip Whitehead, Cllr Thorn writes: “Wiltshire’s hospitality, tourism and retailers have all taken a big hit due to the delayed second lowdown. They now need and deserve all the help they can get as they reopen for the vital Christmas trading period. Wiltshire was among those with the lowest level of Covid infections before lockdown. Thanks to the responsible actions of residents, our infection rise in recent weeks, while very regrettable, has also been low. This makes our county one of the safest Covid areas. This hard work makes it absolutely essential that our local businesses can re-open and trade with the lowest level of restrictions needed to keep themselves, their staff and customers safe.”
The coming month’s Christmas trade is vital to the survival of many local, small businesses and the health of our town centres, he stressed.
He asked Cllr Whitehead to take all possible measures to ensure Government recognised the sacrifices of Wiltshire residents and business owners, to enable them and the county to reopen for business in Tier One.