Give us a week: Businesses urge clarity on England lockdown

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Business leaders urged the British government on Tuesday to give them at least a week's notice over what restrictions they will face when the lockdown in England expires in early December. The highest level included the closure of pubs that don't serve “main meals.” There's growing speculation that another level of tighter restrictions will be introduced that potentially keeps more sectors of the economy closed. Helen Dickinson chief executive of the British Retail Consortium, said the social and economic impact of the latest lockdown has been “severe” and that many firms face going bust. So far this year, she said 13,800 stores have had to close and that number will rise sharply if businesses can't open for Christmas, not least because the online and logistics capacity of most retailers is “close to capacity.” Kate Nicholls, the chief executive for the UKHospitality lobby group, also noted that businesses in the sector are “far less resilient” now than they were going into the spring lockdown because many have already depleted their cash reserves.