Richard Selby, MD of Pro Steel Engineering and new National Chair of the Institute of Directors in Wales.

Given the acceleration of the health crisis, it must have been a difficult judgement for Welsh Government to make, however questions should be asked whether this could have been anticipated much earlier, thus allowing businesses to prepare better for what was effectively the last opportunity to trade prior to the pre-planned lockdown in a week’s time.  What is most important now is that the necessary support is given to these affected businesses as soon as possible to mitigate the immediate impact, and any future decisions incorporate a more informed notice period for everyone.

Heather Anstey-Myers, CEO, Chambers Wales

2021 will be a year for businesses to recover and rebuild. 2020 has been a hugely  challenging year for businesses across Wales, for employers, for employees, for communities, for families. From recent announcements it is clear that we are still very much gripped by the Covid-19 pandemic, but there is hope that the  vaccine will help our recovery. What is also clear is that this process will take time, before we return to anything like ‘business as usual’ and ongoing support for businesses, especially in those sectors most affected, is absolutely vital.

Sina Yamani, CEO, Yoello 

From the hefty restrictions hospitality businesses faced on dining-in during the first lockdown, we have seen a real shift in food offerings towards Click & Collect and Delivery. Business owners want more control, and by increasing the way in which hungry diners can order, they have just that.

Adding this incremental business has made a real difference between businesses keeping their doors open or being forced to close.

Philip Jardine, Partner – Head of the Property Group, Blake Morgan LLP 

• The new Tier 4 restrictions and news of the variant strain has caused us to rethink our approach to office attendance but in truth, most people are successfully working from home. Offices are only open on an exceptional basis to cater for essential business that cannot be undertaken remotely and for those of our folk who are unable to work from home or where their well-being is affected adversely;
• The Welsh Government is in a perennial Catch-22 scenario; damned if it does something and damned if does nothing but the reality is that the pandemic does not respect politics and politicians;
• The professional sector is largely unaffected by the new restrictions – it carries on just as it has since 23rd March and will emerge fine, just as it has done from previous crises. The main problems are in hospitality, leisure and retail and they are being changed forever. The latest and perhaps inevitable restrictions just add to their misery;
• Our hearts go out to those retail, leisure and hospitality clients who are most badly affected. 2020 has been a nightmare for them and for some a terminal experience, sadly. The roll-out of the vaccine needs to be accelerated, day and night and a national effort made to achieve mass-immunisation very quickly. Only when this happens can the recovery of our economy begin and there be any hope for 2021 and beyond;

David Davies, Managing Director of Axiom Manufacturing Services

The weekend’s announcements were another blow to businesses and individuals who have worked with determination and resilience throughout 2020. While Axiom will continue to ensure that our team and customers can face 2021 with confidence, as we enter the New Year businesses are looking to Welsh Government for reassurance that a plan exists to safeguard employees and our economy. Key to this will be the publication of viable timeline for an effective vaccination programme that will let people in Wales know when they can reasonably expect their lives to safely return to normality.

Jason Edwards, Managing Director, Edwards Coaches and High Sheriff of Mid Glamorgan for 2020/21

My personal thoughts on Welsh Governments announcement over the weekend.

Firstly I would like to ask, would anyone like to be in the politicians shoes? It’s a damned if you do and damned if you don’t scenario.

I wasn’t shocked at the speed of the decision as we have been following the numbers and pretty much expected it.

Our industry ‘Transport and Tourism’ has struggled more than most. We operated 310 coaches daily pre-Covid, then lockdown hit and we reduced to just 3 coaches.

When the pressure increases, a blame culture follows. We cannot blame the politicians or the scientists for society’s behaviour. We have been given clear guidelines to follow and certain parts of society have gone in the opposite direction. I don’t think it was the politicians selling hot dogs and ice cream over bonfire night or partying hard in the city centres or make-shift pubs.

If I was a professor of hindsight, we should have hit lockdown harder and sooner at the start i.e. New Zealand style, but we didn’t due to the vocal outcry of economic pressures. The result of us not coming out fighting earlier, is a greater loss of life and even harder economic uncertainty.

Welsh Government have had to make some brutal calls and I’m afraid if society doesn’t listen, then things will get a lot harder and for longer. I wish Westminster would follow Wales’ lead.

We can sort this out if everyone pulls together and follows the simple rules. I have also found it personally hard and I certainly don’t want to sound like something special; it is tough but we can do it.

Would you like to be in the Politicians shoes??? No thanks.

Christine Boston, Sustrans Cymru Director

With the recurring lockdowns we’ve seen this year, people have been forced to reorganise their lives much closer to home. This drastic and sudden change in the way we live, work and travel has highlighted the importance of having certain things like food retail, education, health services and green space in close proximity of our homes.

Walking and cycling has come to play a key role in people’s lives, either as their form of daily exercise, or as a form of transport.

Now more than ever, it is crucial that we see a commitment to long term investment in sustainable travel infrastructure from Welsh Government.

Rhys Thomas, CEO, Thomas Carroll Group

Whilst fully appreciating the severity of COVID 19, I question the judgement of Welsh Government with its unexpected and abrupt decision to enter immediate lockdown.  We have many clients in the hospitality, leisure and retail sectors which are severely affected, with some forced to close their doors.

Sarah John, Director, Boss Brewing

As the Welsh Government struggles more than ever to get a handle on the COVID pandemic, we plead with them not to oversee the crucial life support that the hospitality industry, plus all its suppliers, is going to need. As if it wasn’t looking bleak enough, the sector had the final threads of the rug pulled from under its feet on Saturday night and it’s going to take a serious resuscitation package to bring it back to life. To add insult to injury, many of the suppliers to the hospitality sector – including breweries – have been largely left behind by Government measures and forced to struggle. On the surface they are able to stay open, but pubs and breweries have a symbiotic relationship; breweries have been seriously impacted by the ever toughening restrictions and closure of pubs without any financial packages of support.

Neil Evans, Managing Director, West Wales Properties  

The timing of the announcement by the Welsh Government regarding the increase in land tax, could not have been worse, Property sales in general are taking far longer than normal due to the situation with Covid 19, with solicitors working remotely, local authorities not able to cope with local authority searches. The  Christmas period which always has deadlines to get people moved in for Christmas has created a big issue today with clients trying to exchange contracts by 5pm, some clients withdrawing from sales.

I wonder what the Welsh Government has planned for the end of March, when another important deadline approaches.

Abigail Newton, Vice-Chair , CAMRA

Last month’s draconian ban on alcohol sales and 6pm curfew means the hospitality sector in Wales is already on its knees.

Moving to Alert Level 4 at such short notice means thousands of pounds worth of festive food and drink will go to waste at a time when many will go without. Having already invested heavily in making their venues COVID-secure, these are losses that licensees just can’t afford.

It’s now clear that some level of restrictions will be in place well into the new year. More than ever, we need the Welsh Government to provide sector-specific financial support so that pubs, clubs, breweries and cider makers can survive the current restrictions and rebuild their businesses in the future.