Just because it seemed almost inevitable for some time, doesn't make it any easier to take. The Government’s decision to up the level of Covid-19 restrictions to Level 5 is a bitter pill for everyone to swallow, particularly those in business.
For the last seven months, the majority of owners and managers have battled to keep their firms afloat, their staff employed and safe, and their customers well served and protected.
Their courage and resilience in the face of extreme adversity, and that of their employees, has been admirable, helped in no small part by a state that has stepped in to offer vital financial life support in many different ways.