Residents for Uttlesford (R4U) has urged the government and Essex County Council to support local businesses by not forcing Uttlesford under Covid Tier 3 restrictions until at least after the Christmas bank holiday shutdown. For the last 2 months Uttlesford has consistently had significantly lower infection rates than most other areas in Essex and East Herts. In addition R4U’s administration at UDC has approved a local £1m Covid local economy recovery programme.
![John Lodge (R4U)](https://i0.wp.com/www.residents4u.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/John-Lodge-serious-with-jacket-0372-cropped.png?resize=200%2C200&ssl=1)
Cllr Lodge continued “The run up to Christmas is so important for local businesses, many who are surviving on a cliff edge. At UDC over the weekend we wrote to the government and ECC to ask that they delay any decision to move Uttlesford to Tier 3 until at least the start of the Christmas break. That week will likely make little difference to infection rates, but could keep many businesses afloat that rely on pre-Christmas trade. With infections in Uttlesford more comparable to low levels in Cambridgeshire and Suffolk, it would seem that Uttlesford residents and businesses have done their part and heeded government advice. All we’re asking is that the government acknowledge this fact and support our economy right now.”
![Neil Reeve (R4U)](https://i0.wp.com/www.residents4u.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Cllr-Neil-Reeve-cropped-headshot-500sq.jpg?resize=200%2C200&ssl=1)