Retailers plead for more rates relief as tier 4 threatens flood of job losses
Stores are haemorrhaging money in London and the South East in what is normally their busiest trading time of the year
20 December 2020 • 7:00pm
Retail bosses are begging Rishi Sunak to extend a business rates holiday as fears grow that a new Covid crackdown could put thousands of jobs at risk.
Industry chiefs called for aid from the Chancellor after non-essential retailers in London, the South East and the east of England were ordered to shut under new Tier 4 restrictions.
Julian Dunkerton, chief executive and co-founder of fashion chain Superdry, said: “A lot of people leave Christmas shopping until the last minute, so to take away the busiest period and the sales period after Christmas will be pretty tough for most retailers.”