With the government delivering daily guidelines in these unprecedented times, they have now called for all betting shops to close their doors temporarily for up to two weeks.
Public Safety
The call comes after the Government closed pubs, clubs, restaurants and bingo halls amid fears of spreading the Corona Virus. Boris Johnson made the decision to alleviate the spread of the virus in places where people mass gather. Social distancing is imperative to the safety of the public, this weekend we have seen swathes of people flocking to beaches and parks, which raised further fears the public are not understanding the seriousness of the pandemic.The Government are expected to release more restrictions on the public in the coming weeks, as the message to ‘stay at home’ does not seem to be resonating amongst some.
Safeguarding Jobs
Chancellor Rishi Sunak has introduced more economic measures in a bid to safeguard jobs while the crisis continues.80% grants will be made available for companies who are remaining to keep on staff during the crisis, which can total up to £2,500 per month.He said,“ Today I can announce for the first time in our history the government is going to step in and pay people’s wages.“ The actions I have taken today represent and unprecedented economic intervention to support jobs and incomes of the British people. Unprecedented measures for unprecedented times.”People are naturally concerned about losing jobs and how they are to pay their bills, Boris Johnson has reassured people and said, “ We will do everything in our power to help. Supporting you directly in a way the government has never done before, in addition to the package we have already set out for business.”In a statement, Paddy Power said they had already closed its UK shops until the end of April. In a bid to protect its staff and customers, the temporary closure is a direct reaction to the governments guidelines to social distancing. They believe it’s in the best interest of their employees and customers in order to keep everyone safe.