Martin Hathaway, managing director of the Mid Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce responds to the Tier 3 announcement for West Yorkshire:

“The Mid Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce has been working closely with the local authority leaders throughout West Yorkshire and, although businesses will be disappointed at being placed in Tier 3 at this time, we are confident that the necessary support will be in place to mitigate the challenges that business will face.

“The important thing is that we now all adhere to the restrictions so that we can get back to normal as soon as possible. The Government however needs to provide a clear strategy for exiting Tier 3 or all business confidence will be lost.

“The hospitality and leisure sectors will be adversely affected by closures at such short notice and it is vital we continue to provide support. Our manufacturing, digital and professional service companies will see little change from the Tier 2 restrictions previously in place and we need to make sure that any effects are minimal to them and their staff. Recent announcements about further support for jobs when the furlough scheme ends are welcomed as further support measures must be put in place to make certain we have a thriving economy ready for the post-covid world.

“The Chamber network recently wrote to the Prime Minister, setting out five tests which must be met to avoid serious damage to businesses across the nation. We feel that the need for these additional restrictions must not be blamed on the hardworking people in businesses across the UK but that it shows a need for the Test and Trace system to be drastically improved.

“As a Chamber we will continue to liaise with local authorities to support, connect, and represent our members and the wider business communities, helping them to navigate these challenging times. We urge you to get in touch with our team via getconnected@mycci.co.uk with any questions or concerns about these new measures.”