Trade Association Update: August

Confidence is at the heart of every successful economy. Confidence among businesses to grow, invest and create new jobs. Confidence among staff to go to work every day; innovate and deliver. And confidence among customers to spend money on goods and services.

For the past 18 months, the mood across the UK economy has been anything but confident. Stop-start restrictions have taken their toll across numerous sectors. And while tentative steps towards recovery are now underway, it will take time to fully restore that fragile confidence. It is crucial that we find a way to live with the virus which enables us to go about our daily lives in comfort.

Let’s be clear, this doesn’t mean throwing caution to the wind. Far from it. Too many people have lost their lives and livelihoods for that to happen. But nor does it mean returning to social and economic hibernation. What we need is balance.

We may never be t