By Kristy Dorsey
Scotland has lost more high street shops than anywhere else in the UK, with business leaders warning that recent enhanced restrictions have failed to make “any meaningful difference” to the country’s Covid infection rates.
According to new research by law firm Nockolds, the number of shops in Scotland has fallen by 0.9 per cent since the start of the pandemic, slightly ahead of Northern Ireland’s 0.8% decline and the 0.1% decrease recorded in Wales. Every English region recorded an increase in the number of retailers, with an average rise of 1.3% across the UK.
The figures came as Aberdeen & Grampian Chamber of Commerce (AGCC) warned yesterday that 31% of its members in a snap poll said they are at moderate or high risk of collapse if curbs introduced in the run-up to Christmas are strengthened or extended beyond the current timeframe of January 17.
READ MORE: Nicola Sturgeon urgeed to ease restrictions by business leaders
More than 40% said they will have to cut jobs if trading restraints continue, and nearly two-thirds said they do not believe current measures are proportionate to the threat posed by the Omicron variant of Covid. They graded the Scottish Government’s response at 3.7 out of 10.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon is due to give an update today on restrictions that included the return of crowd capacity limits, curbs on hospitality businesses and the return of social distancing requirements.
Ryan Crighton, policy director at AGCC, said these restraints "must end" on January 17 or earlier.
READ MORE: Hospitality losses spiral by hundreds of millions of pounds, report finds
“Two things are now beyond question,” he said. “One, that the restrictions currently in place are doing enormous damage to a number of business sectors; and two, that they have failed to make any meaningful difference to case numbers in Scotland.
“Therefore, the First Minister must announce the end of these damaging restrictions this week. Not doing so places the very survival of many businesses at risk and jobs on the line.”
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