COMMENTING on reports that a local lockdown could be imposed on Liverpool City Region and other parts of the North this week, Liverpool City Region Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram, said:- "We have all seen the worrying rise in cases of Coronavirus across the country, so it is right that if the current restrictions are not proving to be enough, that the Government considers every option available to protect people and stop the spread of the virus. However, if they are going to force another shutdown of the hospitality industry and a ban on all social gatherings, then they need to put in place proper financial support for Councils and local public health teams, for business to prevent them from going under and to stop thousands of people losing their jobs through no fault of their own. To be effective, any announcement on further local restrictions or local lockdowns has to come with clear messaging and a package of measures to protect jobs and support the local economy, including a local furlough scheme, financial support for businesses and support for the self employed; many of whom have not received any help at all since this crisis began."
 

Mental health "perfect storm" will affect millions this Winter

A "perfect storm" of mental health stresses is being created with lockdowns, economic anxiety, enforced social distancing, poor weather and isolation; meaning millions of home workers will suffer in silence this Winter. The UK is possibly facing its biggest ever mental health crisis since the WWII this Winter as a combination of many factors will contribute to the low mood and poor mental health of millions of employees working from home. According to the ONS (Office of National Statistics) 69% of adults in the UK are staying that Coronavirus is having a negative effect on their life and the drill down statistics are even worse:-

► 63% are worrying about the future.

► 56% are feeling stressed or anxious.

► 49% are bored.

"The worrying thing is everyone is in the same boat; we are so busy fighting our own fires; many of us don't have the time or energy to help others. people are having a rotten time of it at the moment, and this Winter will be a real crunch point for many." says Jonathan Ratcliffe from office company Offices.co.uk

Critical stress factors this Winter include:-

► Lockdowns - working from home and seeing less family / friends mean increasingly isolated lives.

► Uncertainty - Worries over employment and the economy creating a feeling of anxiousness.

► Poor Weather - Less daylight, poor weather means less opportunity to leave the house for fresh air and exercise.

"The big worry for myself and my colleagues is either a new National lockdown, or the Schools will close, because this will tip the balance for many people working from home and just managing to keep things on an even keel," says Jonathan Ratcliffe

Offices.co.uk offers these general pointers to those working from home and feeling the pressure:-

► Routine - it's vital if you want to be motivated that you set a routine. Make sure you get up at a decent time and start work at 9am.

► To do list - Start by writing a small list of work to achieve, lower your expectations and work towards ticking all those goals even if they are small.

► Talk to someone - If you have a work buddy, you'd usually chew the fat with, why change? Give them a call, maybe 1st thing - helps you both realise you are not alone.

► Food and drink - Make sure you eat properly and stay hydrated throughout the day.

► Fresh air - At lunch time take a walk or sit outside, put your phone down, look around and enjoy the peace and quiet.

► Finish at 5 - Don't be tempted to work into the evening, try and finish up around the same time as you would normally.

► Put the phone down - After "work" is over, try to forget about it. Enjoy time with a partner or family.

► Wine O'clock - It's tempting to hit the wine each night, we're under stress. But you didn't booze like this before, time to reduce intake and get a good sleep.

► Sleep - Decent bedtime and try and get 8 hours solid sleep if possible.

► Plan for the other side - This will end, we simply don't know when yet, and when it does you need to be in the best shape possible to seize any opportunities. Get planning!

"Bosses need to be very aware that their remote staff might be struggling, and while they have their own pressures, they need to reach out and monitor staff daily to make sure any issues can be addressed; being sensitive and caring is upmost for employers this Winter period..." concludes Jonathan Ratcliffe from Offices.Co.UK
 

MORE Councils in England are set to benefit from the latest round of the Local Government Association's Behavioural Insights Programme as they continue to lead their communities through the Covid19 crisis.

Now in its 6th year, the LGA said applications for the programme are open. It will see Councils chosen to receive £20,000 to deliver behavioural insights projects aimed at changing, or sustaining behaviour, which have arisen in communities during the Coronavirus pandemic. Councils will be asked to match fund the projects which will have national significance and learning for Local Authorities nationwide.

The behavioural insights approach is based on the approach that interventions will encourage people to make better life choices for themselves and society will be more successful if they are based on insights from behavioural science.

Previous schemes which have benefitted from the programme have proven to generate low cost interventions to improve outcomes for people.

The LGA worked with Kent County Council, Kent Police, their commissioned support services and the Behavioural Insights Team to increase the number of domestic abuse victims that seek and receive support. The commissioned support service successfully contacted a further 6.3% of domestic violence victims which saw a 3.6% increase of uptake in support received.

Knowsley Borough Council increased uptake of assistance technology in the home and developed behaviourally informed materials and conducted a mail out targeted at key groups of residents who could benefit; those with blue badges and those with assisted bin collections. Installations increased by 27%.

North Yorkshire County Council and the LGA are running a project to support home workers during the Covid19 outbreak as they adjust to working from home. This includes assistance with home Schooling for parents and carers who have new responsibilities.

Cllr Peter Fleming, Chairman of the LGA's Improvement and Innovation Board, said:- "The LGA's Behavioural Insights programme is a local Government success story. As Councils come to terms with the impact of the Coronavirus crisis, we encourage them to apply for our programme to help them to tackle the challenges they will face in the months and years ahead."
 

"Support pubs now Rishi or you'll be responsible for mass closures, job losses and hardship" Publicans write open letter to the Chancellor

BRITAIN'S publicans have written a powerful open letter to the Chancellor, Rishi Sunak, urging him and the Government to urgently support pubs or be responsible for mass closures, job losses and hardship.

The letter, organised by the Campaign for Pubs, the national grassroots campaign group representing pubs, publicans and pub goers, expresses publicans' dismay at the woeful lack of support from the Chancellor in his economic statement on Thursday, and points out that without further help many pubs now face imminent closure under new Government imposed restrictions.

Publicans all over the UK are urged to add their name to the letter, which can be signed online here.

The letter comes at the end of the first weekend of pubs operating with a 10pm curfew and mandatory table service, with most reporting significant drops in trade. Many publicans are now considering whether to close their pubs and either mothball them until after the restrictions end or to simply walk away altogether, especially with many pubs still facing large rent bills from uncaring and intransigent pubcos and commercial landlords.

The letter explains how, in the Chancellor's statement this week, thousands of pubs that don't serve food were given no help and support whatsoever, despite the fact that the 10pm curfew and table service requirement have both had a drastic impact on the viability of pubs. Both measures simultaneously reduce trade and increases costs, a disastrous double whammy on top of the three-month national lockdown, existing restrictions and additional local restrictions in some areas.

The letter also points out that while the extension of the 5% VAT rate for eating out is of limited help to some pubs, it gives another huge boost to alternative big business hospitality venues, including fast food chains like McDonalds and KFC and other chains, and it does nothing at all to help many of the pubs that need help most, smaller "wet led" pubs, micropubs and taprooms, all run by small businesses and operating at the heart of their communities. The letter also points out that the new Job Support Scheme offers no help at all to most pubs, as on current trading figures many actually need more staff not fewer, and certainly could not afford to subsidise staff for not working.

The letter expresses publicans' serious concerns at the latest restrictions imposed by the Government, with pubs all around the country reporting significant drops in trade, many to the point where they will have no choice but to close the doors to prevent further losses. There is real anger amongst licensees about the 10pm curfew, which has no scientific basis, but which makes it impossible for some pubs reliant on Friday and Saturday night trade to operate profitably. Many publicans and others have expressed the folly of such a policy, for which the Government has already been forced to admit it made no impact assessment and which has already been shown to have led to crowding on the streets and on public transport at closing time, and furthermore risks people turning their backs on the controlled environment of the pub and instead going to uncontrolled social gatherings in their homes or other unregulated venues.

There is also anger that, with venues already having invested in physical infrastructure such as screens and other measures to keep customers safe, the Government has now insisted on table service, which not only makes many pub staff less safe but also increases staff costs significantly, something that most pubs simply cannot manage with the current levels of trade.

The letter calls for an urgent package of support for pubs, warning the Chancellor that if he doesn't listen to UK publicans, he and the Government will be directly responsible for mass pub closures, job losses and hardship among thousands of families reliant on the pub trade. The measures being called for are:-

► 5% (or even better zero) VAT on ALL sales in pubs.

► Grants to cover full costs if pubs cannot viably trade due to the current restrictions and have to close temporarily.

► A business rates holiday extension, with a complete overhaul for business rates for pubs prior to recommencing.

► A statutory right to an immediate rent review for all pubs, to tackle the fact many pubs are facing wholly unreasonable rent levels, considering the Government restrictions and reduced trade

The letter lays out the stark reality that many pubs are better off closing due to the new restrictions, and highlights the unfairness of the fact that, despite his own Government imposing these restrictions, the Chancellor announced nothing to help pubs through this next 6 months.

The letter urges the Chancellor to meet with publicans, having ignored the voice of the people that actually devote their lives to running pubs for far too long (as opposed to those representing large pubcos and breweries). The letter ends with such a plea:

So we are urging you to listen to the nation's publicans; to meet with us and understand that we need urgent support now to get through the next 6 months. If you ignore us, you and the Government will be responsible for the closure and loss of many important pubs up and down the country, as well as causing loss and hardship for publicans, pub staff and their families.

Commenting, Paul Crossman, Chair of the Campaign for Pubs and licensee of 3 pubs in York said:- "Pubs up and down the UK have done their utmost to reopen safely since lockdown, and the vast majority have managed to do so in a way that has been welcomed and praised by their customers and communities. This despite the fact we have had to cope with constantly shifting and ambiguous, and usually last-minute, Government guidance. The announcement of strict new measures by the Prime Minister this week came as a huge blow to the great many responsible publicans who have invested so much time, effort and money in order to provide a service which safeguards their customers and the communities they serve. The lack of subsequent support in the Chancellor's own speech will have come as the final straw for many despairing small business publicans, who now simply lack the reserves to carry on. A huge number of our beloved pubs are now under imminent threat due to the dubious policy choices of this Government. If they do not reconsider their position and invest in support for pubs now, the potential loss to our economy, our communities and the character of our towns and cities will be incalculable. For this they would ultimately face the judgement of the British public themselves who will need and indeed cherish the unique collective community spirit of their precious local pubs more than ever once this crisis is finally over."

Dawn Hopkins, Vice-Chair of the Campaign for Pubs and licensee of the Rose, Norwich (a wet-led pub) said:- "Britain's publicans feel ignored and betrayed by Rishi Sunak and the Government. We have spent the last three months working hard to make our pubs safe and then the Government imposes some frankly stupid rules that make everyone less safe, and decimate our trade. To do this without offering is support means that Rishi Sunak has turned his back on the nation's pubs. He is telling us that he doesn't care if we close or how publicans pay their bills or feed their children. It is the Government that is making many pubs unviable, through ill considered non evidence based rules and the Government must compensate us for the amount of trade we will and are already losing. If Rishi Sunak and Boris Johnson ignore us then they will go down in history as the men who destroyed the Great British pub, so we urge them to change course, look again at these destructive rules, and to either allow us to trade safely and viably as we were, or to properly support us."

NEW research released today by SIBA (Society of Independent Brewers) shows that the UK's independent breweries are struggling to cope with a fall in beer sales, just as Government threatens them with increased taxes.

Known for revolutionising the UK's brewing industry, and creating a nation of craft beer lovers, this previously small but booming sector is now under threat; as the global lockdown saw a considerable drop in craft beer sales. Even after pubs and restaurants started to reopen this summer, craft beer sales remained at just 51% of what they would have expected for a 'normal' July, and the new 10pm curfew and rules around table service only have given pubs and brewery taprooms another hurdle to jump.

The fall in sales comes just as the Government is set to slash the Small Breweries' Relief, which was introduced to take account of small brewers' relatively high cost of production and allow them to compete with global brewers.

The Government are yet to reveal exactly how much these taxes will rise, and it is this uncertainty which means 58% of brewers say they are delaying investment, 51% are delaying employing new staff, and 49% are delaying growing their brewing capacity; with just 4% of respondents greeting the Governments proposed tax changes positively.

"This new data shows very clearly that breweries are delaying investment and growth as they simply do not know what their tax bill will look like in the future; it is making a very difficult situation near impossible for small independent breweries across the UK; businesses which have been hit extremely hard by Coronavirus. Breweries saw their sales slashed by over 80% when pubs closed and even in July once things had reopened sales were at half of what we would have usually expected. The timing of announcing a tax rise for many small brewers could not be worse." James Calder, SIBA Chief Executive.

Tory MP and former Pubs Minister Andrew Percy has backed small brewers and says the proposed changes would seriously damage the industry:- "The growth of small and craft breweries across the UK in recent years has been something of a jobs and economic success story. As well as supporting new jobs in the brewing directly, this growth has supported jobs and businesses right across the country be that farmers, local pubs or bottle shops. This has been in no small part thanks to support offered by the small brewers rate relief. This relief has led to a revolution in brewing whilst at the same time increasing choice for consumers and introducing consumers, especially younger consumers, to new styles of beer. The changes as proposed would seriously damage what has been something of a British success story in recent years and one of the few bright spots in what has been a difficult decade for our local pubs."

This new research follows the launch of a Petition to back local beer; calling on the Government to reverse their proposed tax rise that would affect up to 150 small breweries. The petition has reached 40,000 signatures in a few weeks and now has the support of the UK's largest beer consumer Group CAMRA.

"These figures highlight the fragile situation that our brewing industry is in following lockdown, and why the Government's proposed tax increase for some of the smallest brewers poses a real threat to competition and consumer choice. We need the Government to rethink their plans for changes to Small Brewers Relief to make sure that our local and small brewers can overcome the challenges they have faced during the Coronavirus crisis and can invest and grow in the future. This is why it's so important that all CAMRA members and beer lovers back the petition on the Parlaiment.uk website today." Tom Stainer, CAMRA Chief Executive.

Recruitment drive after spike in Merseyside care vacancies

A recruitment drive has been launched to fill a rising number of care vacancies in Merseyside during the pandemic. Liverpool recruitment company, Lupa Recruitment, is calling for anyone with experience in a care setting to consider applying for 1 of the many vacancies which are currently available due to Covid19. Roles range from temporary healthcare assistants to senior management positions across Merseyside. The company has seen an upturn in temporary cover required in:- Home Care, Children's Homes and Care Homes across the North West, due to staff isolating with symptoms or confirmed cases. Many Care Homes also require temporary care workers to replace team members experiencing burnout from working continually during the first wave of the virus.

Jennifer Brereton, managing director of Lupa Recruitment, said:- "During the 1st wave of Coronavirus we had two separate teams supporting our care home clients, 1 for the Covid positive homes and 1 managing the negatives ones, to prevent cross contamination and keep our colleagues, clients and candidates safe. As many carers moved into the setting where they worked to provide round the clock care to residents and safeguard their own families, they naturally needed time off to rest and be rewarded for their dedication. It's an incredibly rewarding career, and one where you can see the positive impact your work has on vulnerable people every day."

A spike in home care vacancies is something Jennifer believes is down to families preferring to keep elderly relatives at home for as long as possible during the pandemic. She said:- "Moving a relative into a care home is a huge decision. Naturally, families are cautious right now and many are exploring the home care route instead. However, our care home clients have done the right thing by locking down early, avoiding visitors coming onto their premises and only allowing staff to come to work if they have tested negative for the virus."

Liverpool start up business Lupa Recruitment, based in Speke, was set up in January of this year. To register online for current vacancies available with Lupa Recruitment, visit:- Lupa-Recruitment.com/Online-Registration. View available vacancies here:- Jobs.HireWithLeo.Com/Lupa.Recruitment.
 

THE total number of UK Coronavirus (COVID-19) infections that have been laboratory confirmed, within the UK, has risen by 4,044 cases and the total number now stand at 439,013, that includes tests carried out by commercial partners which are not included in the 4 National totals.

The number of COVID-19 associated UK fatalities added to the total, was sadly reported to be 13 according to the Department of Health. The total number of deaths of people who have had a positive test result confirmed by a Public Health or NHS laboratory is 42,001.

The number of COVID-19 patients currently in UK Hospitals:- 1,727. The current number of COVID-19 patients currently in mechanical ventilation beds in UK Hospitals:- 262. Daily number of COVID-19 patients admitted to UK Hospitals:- 266.

In England, there are a total of 377,035 confirmed cases. North West - total of 80,555 confirmed cases.

The number of laboratory confirmed cases within the Liverpool City Region are as follows:-
 

The number of laboratory confirmed cases within Local Authorities around the Liverpool City Region are as follows:-

►  Blackburn with Darwen, 2,624 confirmed cases.

►  Blackpool, 1,354 confirmed cases.

►  Bolton, 4,637 confirmed cases.

►  Bury, 2,556 confirmed cases.

►  Cheshire East, 2,876 confirmed cases.

►  Cheshire West and Chester, 2,635 confirmed cases.

►  Lancashire, 12,004 confirmed cases.

►  Manchester, 7,026 confirmed cases.

►  Oldham, 4,128 confirmed cases.

►  Preston, 2,186 confirmed cases.

►  Rochdale, 3,261 confirmed cases.

►  Salford, 2,967 confirmed cases.

►  Stockport, 2,647 confirmed cases.

►  Tameside, 2,934 confirmed cases.

►  Trafford, 2,281 confirmed cases.

►  Warrington, 2,335 confirmed cases.

►  Wigan, 3,361 confirmed cases.

Daily reported Covid19 deaths are now measured across the UK as deaths that occurred within 28 days of the 1st laboratory confirmed positive Covid19 test.   Daily and cumulative numbers of COVID19 patients admitted to Hospital. Data are not updated every day by all 4 nations and the figures are not comparable as Wales include suspected COVID19 patients while the other nations include only confirmed cases.