The new lockdown restrictions are theatening the very fabric of Newcastle city centre and there are now fears for what will remain once the pandemic is over.
That's the grim view of Adrian Waddell, the chief executive of business improvement district company NE1 Ltd, who said businesses are now in "utter despair", with the hospitality sector feeling that the tightening restrictions had pulled the rug from under its feet just as it was making progress after lockdown.
And he added that the sector is shouldering all the financial burden of lockdown despite accounting for only a tiny fraction of the spreading virus.
Mr Waddell's comments came on the day there arose more confusion over the new restrictrions and what they actually mean for the North East.
He said on Wednesday: "The hospitality sector in Newcastle is hurting.
"The latest lockdown restrictions threaten businesses and the very fabric of Newcastle city centre.
"The Government cannot impose such draconian restrictions on businesses without offering immediate and comprehensive financial support."
He said the latest announcement has been met by "utter despair from businesses" who "are starting to question the veracity of the lockdown measures and where the empirical evidence is for closing hospitality venues, which from the Government’s own figures account for a mere 3.2% spread of the virus".
He added: "These companies are now shouldering 100% of the lockdown burden with no meaningful support to compensate.
"Having just reopened and beginning to make progress, many businesses feel the latest restrictions have pulled the rug from under them and are being given no timescale for when the lockdown could be lifted."
NE1 represents businesses in every industry sector and all are expected to feel the impact of the restrictions.
Talking of how the nightitime economy generates £340m a year and employs thousands of staff, he said: "Without these venues and the vibrancy they bring to the city, what we know and love about Newcastle city centre is under serious threat.
"The absence of this cultural richness that the hospitality sector contributes could have a damaging effect on the city in both the short and long term."
He added: "The city is famed for its nightlife and, without immediate financial support, we are concerned about what will be left when we come through this and the impact this will have on our universities, businesses who choose to locate here and all other industry sectors."
