Nus Ghani, MP for Wealden, has welcomed the announcement on reopening of soft play businesses from this weekend, after urging the Government to provide support for the sector.
Despite the gradual reopening of the leisure sector since 4th July, soft play businesses have been required to remain closed. Many of them have not been eligible for the small business grant due to the larger size of the warehouse-based premises from which they operate.
Based on the vast amount of correspondence, phone calls and meetings with children indoor play business owners in Wealden, Nus has written to the Chancellor and the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, encouraging the Government to consider its position on the reopening of these businesses and what further measures of financial assistance can be put in place to support the sector.
Nus has also added her name to a letter to the Prime Minister, stressing the important role of indoor soft play centres in the Government’s strategy to tackle obesity and urging the Prime Minister to reconsider the decision to force these businesses to remain closed.
As part of the next phase of easing of lockdown measures, which was postponed from 1 August due to concerns about a slight increase in the number of people testing positive for coronavirus in England, soft play centres will be able to reopen.
Additionally, more close contact beauty services will resume from this weekend. After receiving an overwhelming amount of correspondence from various local businesses in the beauty industry and Wealden residents, Nus has written to the Chancellor and the Prime Minister, urging them to allow the beauty sector to reopen.
Nus Ghani said: “Soft play businesses in Wealden are much loved destinations for so many local families and are a key part of our local economy. I appreciate the threat they faced during this challenging time and I have continued to campaign for their support throughout the pandemic. I am pleased that my campaigning has had an impact and that the children indoor play sector is finally reopening its doors to customers this weekend.”
“From the correspondence from businesses in the beauty industry, I appreciate the levels of investments they made in PPE and other measures to ensure customer safety. I know how important their therapies are to customers and I am pleased that these businesses will be allowed to offer a full range of services from this Saturday.”
