Manchester restaurateur and chef Simon Wood has spoken out against the government’s lack of supportfor hospitality, threatening that if he is forced to close without a proper financial support package he is of a mind to ‘tell them to shove it’.
Tweeting ‘they can fine me if they want’, he added ‘maybe everyone should do it until they support us properly.’
His furious comments follow a week of mounting pressure on the government to introduce a proper financial support package for the sector, and come amid numerous allegations of a ‘lockdown by stealth’.
Im actually of a mind to say if they close us I’ll tell them to shove it and stay open and they can Fine me if they want.
If enforced closures come Maybe everyone should do it until they support us properly. https://t.co/O66s7LLSeF
Speaking to ITV on Monday night the chef went even further, taking a dig at both the lack of support provided to the sector so far and at plans being floated this week, which suggest new draft regulations would ban indoor mixing except for work purposes, and pubs and restaurants would be limited to outdoor service only.
“Hospitality is a safe environment. If it’s deemed not safe then support it financially and close it for the good of the public. No decent operator in the entire country’s going to argue with that,” he said.
‘The fact of the matter is, though, they’ve been told people not to go out.
“We’re in a stealth lockdown and we’re suffering and bearing the brunt of it – it’s really, really concerning that we don’t know what’s coming next and there’s mutings of outdoor dining, erm, I’m not sure I know many people that would come for a 12-course tasting menu on the balmy streets of Manchester in January.”
Making a reference to the recent allegations of rule-breaking in Downing Street, he added, “to be honest, without any kind of evidence, without everyone following the same set of rules, why should we – why should we jeopardise the businesses that we work night and day to keep afloat and we have done for more than just the past two years?”
“Forget the pandemic, hospitality is a tough industry with very low margins, we work very hard for very little a lot of the time. So you know it’s important that if they aren’t going to support us that we stand together as an industry and make a collective stance”.
Draft regulations are being prepared which would ban meeting others indoors except for work purposes, and that pubs and restaurants would be limited to outdoor service only, according to The Times https://t.co/4Eq1ZVrRTN
Simon Wood is just one figure who has been vocal in speaking out about the need for better support in recent weeks.
He’s been joined by the likes of Andy Burnham and Sacha Lord, both of whom have been calling for an increase in support since the arrival of Omicron in England, which was the first catalyst for a drop-off in restaurant and Christmas party bookings.
In response to the suggestion that a return to outdoor dining could be introduced in Manchester as part of a two-week ‘circuit breaker’ after Christmas, Burnham tweeted:
“Outdoor only? Have they been to Manchester in December?!
“You can’t help but think they’re trying to think of any old excuse to avoid a financial support scheme for hospitality.”
And reaching the end of a long day of meetings with hospitality yesterday, Lord tweeted that he had ‘witnessed tears, anger, fear, anxiety and total lost hope’.
He said: “Every meeting or outburst has carried the same question. Where on earth is The Chancellor @RishiSunak?”
The comments echo feelings of concern shared by hospitality businesses up and down the country and come amid increasing calls on the Treasury to introduce better support for the sector.
Since the arrival of Omicron in the country several weeks ago, booking cancellations have skyrocketed across the industry – leaving many fearing they will not survive into the new year without additional restrictions and financial support.
Would love to know what the ‘logic’ is behind the government, for almost two years now, consistently leaking ahead plans to muller restaurants and pubs without proper explanation, planning or support in place – other than to torture everyone in hospitality. It’s baffling.
It follows the announcement of a state of emergency in London, which was called by the capital’s Mayor Sadiq Khan over the weekend.
Khan appeared on Andrew Marr’s final BBC show on Sunday to peak about the urgent need for better support to be made available to the sector.
He told Marr that people should go to pubs and restaurants “if they can do so safely”. stating that “pubs, restaurants, and bars have worked so hard to make their places covid safe” before advising people to do a lateral flow before they visited, to socially distance where they can, and to wear masks where they can’t.
“It’s cheaper to support business with grants, with business rates relief, and with furlough than allow them to go bust,” he added.
Following the state of emergency announcement in London, the government held emergency COBRA and cabinet meetings on Monday to discuss future plans – with three different scenarios currently on the table.
Despite this, no Covid announcements have yet been forthcoming.
Featured image – ITV
News
New free app launches to help people find the best nature spots in and around Manchester
Emily Sergeant
A new free app has launched to help people find, discover, and visit nature on their doorstep.
Wildling is aiming to be a simple one-step solution to the growing mental health crisis and the urgent need to care for the natural world.
By helping people visit nature more easily, and giving them tools to truly connect with it at this same time, Wildling is well on its way to supporting personal wellbeing and the joy of easily discovering nature across the UK, all while nurturing a sense of care and action for the planet.
Supported by partners including the RSPB, Marine Conservation Society ,and Forestry England, and backed by advisors and environmentalists like Ben Goldsmith, Eden Project founder Tim Smit, and Dragon’s Den’s Deborah Meaden, the new app brings the UK’s wild spaces and hidden green spots together in one place.
A new free app has launched to help people find the best nature spots in Manchester / Credit: Kitera Dent | Robin Worrall (via Unsplash)
Featuring more than 1,500 locations across the country, from coastlines and woodlands, to nature reserves, the app also includes a wide range of tips to help you make your time in nature easier, more enjoyable, and more meaningful.
The app has been created with the input of research carried out by the University of Derby, based on responses from more than 68,000 adults across England over two years.
The study found that people who spend time in nature every day report up to 22% greater life satisfaction, 17% higher happiness, and an average uplift of around 19% in overall wellbeing, compared to those who rarely go out.
Regular time in nature was also found to have a ‘striking’ effect on pro-environmental behaviour too, according to the survey.
Wildling was created by impact entrepreneur Ant Rawlins who wanted to make accessing nature ‘easier’ for everyone.
“We wanted to give people the tools to engage with nature by making it genuinely easy to visit, by showing them nearby nature places and giving them everything they need to make it happen,” says Ant Rawlins commented.
Wildling connects Mancs to the outside world and all it has to offer / Credit: Sol Stock (Supplied)
Ant said the study shows that spending more time in nature just a nice idea, it makes you happier, increases your satisfaction with life, lifts your overall wellbeing, and encourages you to look after the world around you.
“That’s exactly why Wildling was created,” he concluded.
The Wildling app is available now to download for free through the App Store and Google Play, and you can find out more here.
Featured Image – Shironosov (Supplied)
News
Chester Zoo’s viral new snow leopard cub ventures outside for the first time
Emily Sergeant
Chester Zoo’s adorable baby snow leopard who went viral last week could very well be about to go viral again.
That’s because new footage of it venturing outside for the first time have been released.
After arriving to first-time parents Nubra and Yashin, who are both three-years-old, last month (10 June 2025), keepers at Chester Zoo said mum and cub had mostly spent their time quietly tucked away in a cosy den, away from the eyes of the onlooking public – but now, it’s time for the little one to see what the outside world is all about.
Now, at seven-weeks old, the cub has gained in strength and confidence, and experts expected that it could venture outside at ‘any moment’.
Zookeepers are still yet to confirm the sex of the cub, and will be able to do soon once it has undergone its first health check-up with the vets.
We can also expect to hear one the little one’s name is very soon too.
If you’re unfamiliar with snow leopards, they are classed as vulnerable to extinction by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), and it’s believed there are as few as 4,000 now remaining in the wild.
Nicknamed the ‘ghosts of the mountains’, these elusive – but adorable – big cats are found in the rugged, remote regions of Central Asia and the Himalayas – but sadly, despite being known for living in desolate, harsh environments, they continue to face threats from habitat loss, climate change, poaching, and retaliatory killings by farmers.
Chester Zoo’s viral new snow leopard cub ventures outside for the first time / Credit: Chester Zoo
The cub’s birth follows the opening of Chester Zoo’s Himalayan habitat in May 2024, which is a vast, rocky environment that authentically recreates the mountainous terrain of Central Asia.
“This is the first snow leopard cub to be born at Chester Zoo,” commented Dave Hall, who is the Team Manager of carnivores at Chester Zoo, last week when the adorable hidden den cam footage was first released to the public.
“It’s a truly historic moment and a real cause for celebration – not just for our teams here, but also for the future of this magnificent species globally.”
Although it’s still early days, carnivore experts at the zoo say Nubra is showing ‘excellent maternal instincts’ by nursing her new arrival every few hours and always keeping close by.
Georgina Pellant -
21st December 2021 
