Covid-19: Tier 3 a 'Christmas killer blow' for Essex

Some Santa's Grottos are able remain open in all tiers

Most of Essex has been placed in tier three, England's highest level of coronavirus restrictions. What effect is Monday's announcement having on the county's businesses and their customers over Christmas?

At this time of year, Meadow Croft Garden Centre in Wickford would typically have up to 2,000 fans of Bavarian delicacies tucking in to a bratwurst and beer at their German market each day.

Tier three means that all has to stop, with food and drink off the menu.

Some stalls will remain open but Simon Charlick, from the centre, fears people will "definitely" be put off from visiting.

"This has been really apparent through interactions with our customers over the phone and through social media," he says.

Meadow Croft Garden Centre fears people will not visit its German Market after food sales were stopped

Mr Charlick says that because of restrictions they have had to halve the number of customers coming in.

He adds that the impact of the tier three will "drastically reduce footfall and income as we not allowed to open our catering offers, which, at this time of the year, is what is really drawing our customers".

"If the restrictions continue into January, we stand to lose a third of our income for that month, based on last year's figures," he says.

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Tier three restrictions were introduced in the districts of Basildon, Brentwood, Harlow, Epping Forest, Castle Point, Rochford, Maldon, Braintree, Chelmsford, Thurrock and Southend-on-Sea due to a "sharp rise" in cases.

They join more than 34 million people, or 61% of England's population, under the strictest measures.

Essex's remaining districts - Colchester, Tendring and Uttlesford - are in tier two, meaning they are on high alert.

Steve Haslam, who runs the TLC Inns group of pubs, says moving to tier three is like being "taken out by Anthony Joshua"

Steve Haslam owns the Bread & Cheese pub in Benfleet - the place he first entered as a 10-year-old with his father, who had been its cleaner.

He took over the building when it was on the verge of being boarded up.

Wednesday was meant to be the grand opening but, in tier three, restaurants and pubs can only do takeaway service.

"We have put in hundreds of hours over the last three or four days to get the building ready," he says.

He says chefs had been in the kitchen preparing on Tuesday but about £1,000 worth of food will now go to waste.

"The mood was different when we found out [about the tier change]," he says.

"It was the first palpable change I'd seen in our people where it was almost like they'd been taken out by [boxer] Anthony Joshua - they'd taken one jab too many.

"We've remained upbeat pretty much throughout, but it was almost like that was the Christmas killer blow."

Mr Haslam says his business had "haemorrhaged money all year", but he adds that he has "been in business since I was 15 years old, I'm not going to let a pandemic finish me".

What are 'tier three - very high alert' rules?

• You cannot mix indoors, in private gardens or in most outdoor venues, except with your household or bubble

• You can meet in a group of up to six in outdoor spaces, such as parks, beaches or countryside

• Shops, gyms and personal care services, such as hairdressers, can stay open

• Bars, pubs, cafes and restaurants must stay closed, except for delivery and takeaway

• Sports fans cannot attend events in stadiums

• Indoor entertainment venues - such as bowling alleys and cinemas - must stay closed

• People are advised not to travel to and from tier three areas

Read more about the tier three rules

For staff at Maldon Promenade Petting Zoo, this would normally be a time when they would be travelling to schools, Christmas lights switch-ons and fairs and putting on a show.

"We would normally do about 170 events in December," says Craig Williams, from the zoo, which also attends private events with their reindeer.

"We've got 20 booked in and they're cancelling left, right and centre."

Craig Williams says the rise of cases in the south-east was "daunting"

Realising that side of the business would struggle this year, the zoo began an on-site Christmas event, which they "never" would have done before.

Mr Williams says: "Initially in tier two, people were able to go into an indoor reptile room and watch a Zoom call from Santa [where he] would explain his dilemma that he has a backlog and needs the children to help him deliver Christmas for the animals.

"As a result of the restrictions, unfortunately we can't have that reptile room open - so it means investing in more gazebos and trying to do the video outside, and we're also having to invest in further coverage for weather."

Mr Williams says the rise of Covid cases in south-east England is "daunting" and his business is taking extra precautions, such as asking visitors to wear face coverings in outdoor spaces.

Reflecting on the year past, he says: "The kindness of neighbours, of people within the business, of my staff have been absolute amazing.

"The sad side is there have been times when we've been contemplating 'if this business is to go, what on earth would be do? What would we do with these animals?'"

Marsh Farm Animal Adventure Park has been able to put on Christmas festivities

A staple of many a family Christmas has been the visit to a Santa's Grotto.

Under Christmas guidance, they can remain open in all tiers if they are in venues permitted to be open - with "appropriate Covid-secure" measures in place - such as Marsh Farm Animal Adventure Park in South Woodham Ferrers.

"The phones are off the hook," says owner James Sinclair. "In fact the busiest they've ever been in our 20-year history.

"People are begging to come and see Father Christmas and we say 'no, sorry, we're fully booked because we're reduced capacity this year'."

James Sinclair has had to furlough some staff after the closure of the indoor eating areas

But the tier three restrictions have seen the closure of their indoor eating areas, leading to the furlough of more staff and throwing away a lot of food.

Mr Sinclair adds: "It's really tough - we just hope we can get through next year and get the business reopened and trading at some sort of normality because people are very tired of it now."