Responding to the latest update on lockdown restrictions from the First Minister, Dr Liz Cameron OBE, Chief Executive of the Scottish Chambers of Commerce, said:

“Businesses will be relieved on the confirmation that hairdressers, click and collect services and garden centres, will be able to re-open from 5^th April. As the vaccine rollout continues to give us all optimism, more businesses in our crucial retail and hospitality sectors still await word on whether or not they will be able to re-open at the end of April.

“Missing the Easter period, which is usually a boom period for retail and hospitality, means that the delay to re-opening risks widespread business collapse. Government must also consider a further package of business support to help these businesses survive over the next few crucial weeks.

“Businesses are on tenterhooks as we await further detail from the Scottish Government on what the revised level criteria will look like. This detail is critical and needs to provide businesses and consumers the confidence and hope that they can expect to see their hard work on suppressing COVID-19 rewarded.

“Until then, we all must continue to follow government guidelines to ensure these businesses will be able to return without delay. Businesses have spent millions and millions in creating safe environments to re-open, they are ready to operate safely and support their local communities.”