Nightmare before Christmas as businesses warn against shutting down by stealth

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“While we have measures to keep the economy open, we have messages that a lot of it has ended up shutting down,” CBI Director-General Tony Dunker told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme.

“People should be anxious enough to go and get a booster dose urgently but not too anxious to stop going to stores, restaurants or airports, which doesn’t work.

“You have a double whammy for companies in those sectors – hospitality, retail, leisure or travel – where demand collapses and there is no support for recovery.

“While we all support the consolidation drive, the unintended consequence has really been a somewhat chilling effect on demand in many sectors of our economy.”

In an effort to make up for the past year, ministers have gone to great lengths to ensure that there is no reason why Christmas parties can’t go ahead. But the recent announcement that attendees will be registered again remotely, if possible, had an immediate effect: Bars and restaurants quickly reported concert cancellations.

Critics say this speaks to the heart of the problem with the current guidelines, which create a great deal of uncertainty.

On the other hand, it seems that the government is suggesting that people work from home to prevent transmission of the Corona virus from their colleagues.

But on the other hand, they’re not suggesting that noisy Christmas parties should be cancelled – despite common sense that such parties pose at least a similar level of risk.

It has put employers in the dreadful position of deciding how to interpret the prime minister’s principle of “Go to work if you have to, but work from home if you can”. Many are not necessarily on the same page as the staff.

Julian Metcalf, who founded Pret a Manger and now runs Itsu, blames politicians for “fear, chaos, and conflicting messages” that are “vague and confusing.”

The Guardian reports that Dyson workers were told last week that their Christmas party had been cancelled, but many should continue to come to work.

A company spokesman said the company had asked certain employees to attend “for practical, confidential and security reasons”.

Others, including Goldmans, HSBC and Deutsche Bank, have taken the opposite approach and sent all employees home for the holidays.

Industry group UKH Hospitality argued that the government’s Plan B guidelines would “significantly impact consumer confidence and be particularly disruptive for downtown and city locations”.

Meanwhile, the Night Industry Association warned businesses to face “12 days of Christmas misery.” She accused ministers of “allowing businesses to do business but strongly implying that consumers should reduce contact and social interaction”.

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