A modest cutting back on socialising would be good for retail. If Brits choose to stay home rather than eat out that means more pigs-in-blankets and other party foods from supermarkets
The Omicron strain may be spreading faster in England than in SA, with UK cases of the variant possibly topping 60,000 a day by Christmas, according to epidemiologist John Edmunds. Picture: BLOOMBERG
Not everyone is on board, of course. In the UK, even before Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s decision to trigger his so-called “Plan B”, there were signs of caution in travel, drinking and dining. Trade body UKHospitality said anecdotal evidence pointed to lost bookings in direct response to the variant. This has been echoed by Azzurri Group, which owns restaurants Zizzi, ASK Italian and Coco di Mama.
Some people are already avoiding the office again — a backwards step for businesses dependent on commuters that had been seeing their sales steadily grow. Recent work-from-home guidance and other restrictions such as vaccine passports for large venues could see that nervousness increase further. This resolve underlines the prevailing mindset this Christmas. People want to see friends and family, and spoil them with gifts, to compensate for the dismal final quarter of 2020. Not only were restaurants, pubs and stores shut for much of the time, but strict restrictions meant many families could not physically get together over the holiday.
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