Mansfield MP hails weekend re-openings as another vital step towards economic recovery

There’s much more to do to get remaining businesses and sectors open as fast as we can and make sure that we can safeguard those jobs, but broadly, we’re making progress.

Opening pubs was always going to present a challenge and the problems have been well documented.

Sadly, I think that opening night was always likely to be messy and it’s a great shame that, as ever, a handful of idiots always make it difficult for everyone else.

However, having gotten through that and having a huge proportion of businesses across retail, leisure and hospitality open again, things should calm down as people get used to how things are and businesses learn to navigate the rules too.

We’re fortunate here in Mansfield that our local figures in terms of transmission of the virus are very low, and I hope that people will feel increasingly confident in getting out and about over the coming weeks, bearing in mind of course that rules on things like social distancing and masks are still in place.

To those who own or work in businesses that are not yet open, I know things are not easy.

The Government has committed to getting you back to work and is working on this to get the right guidance together.

I’m pushing them to help us all get moving and to open as many more businesses as we can, recognising of course that some sectors present really difficult challenges with hygiene and social distancing.

We’re also making progress in other areas this week, with confirmation that the PE premium will support getting primary school children back in to physical activity, a huge package of support for culture and the arts and a commitment to opening up childcare settings and summer clubs to help parents over the holidays.

I’ve been pressing for investment in our area, obviously, as well as for major support for further education and colleges that can be key for retraining and getting people back in to work.

The Government has recommitted to the ‘levelling up’ agenda and that places like ours are going to be a big priority.

Ben Bradley is MP for Mansfield.