LEP welcomes roadmap out of lockdown

Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire Local Enterprise Partnership (SSLEP) has welcomed the government's roadmap out of Covid restrictions.

Leaders at the LEP say that the roadmap, which includes a four-step timetable of when certain industries may be able to open, provides some much needed clarity on how sectors like retail, hospitality and other valuable areas of the economy can make a gradual return to normality.

Alun Rogers (pictured), chair of the SSLEP, said: “Businesses and people across Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire have been demonstrating remarkable efforts to pull together and navigate challenges and changing circumstances over the past year, and this roadmap is a hopeful, welcome step towards our community regaining some normality once again.

"We look forward to playing our part with our own campaign to support businesses to thrive and not just survive in the months ahead."

Boris Johnson said that the 'cautious and irreversible' plan would see each stage measured against four tests before moving onto the next stage

The SSLEP will keep businesses and partners up to date over the coming months.