NICOLA STURGEON is set to announce a decision on takeaways and click and collect services TODAY.

The First Minister is meeting with the Cabinet this morning to discuss further potential curbs as the country remains in lockdown with a 'stay-at-home' order in place.

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Takeaways and click and collect services could be scrapped if new curbs are introduced.

It could mean retailers are banned from offering collection services at stores, but home deliveries from stores and takeaways are expected to be allowed.

Any changes to the lockdown rules are expected to be set out in the daily coronavirus briefing.

Over 150,000 Scots have now had Covid-19 as one more dies

Ms Sturgeon had warned construction, takeaways and click and collect services could be outlawed in tightened restrictions last week.

Speaking at the briefing yesterday the FM said: "I'm not trying to shy away from saying, because I said it last week, the kind of issues we will be looking at.

"Do we have to tighten up to reduce the number of people that are moving around any further? And I talked last week about reducing perhaps click and collect to essential retail only to be looking at putting further restrictions on takeaways.

"We've not reached decisions on these things yet, but these are the kinds of things we'll be considering at our meeting tomorrow and then I'll set out any decisions that we reach in the normal way.

"We will be considering if further restrictions are required and we won't take any of these decisions lightly, but I would appeal to everybody to just think back to how we all complied with lockdown last spring."

It comes after a letter signed by leaders of the Scottish Retail Consortium, the Booksellers Association, the Horticultural Trades Association, the British Independent Reatilers Association and the Radio Electrical and Television Retailers' Association called for the "lifeline" of click and collect not to be stopped.

The letter reads: "Our members undertaking these services have complied with every change to Government guidance and put in place many mitigation measures and invested significantly to keep shoppers and workers as safe as possible.

"We haven't been sighted on any data or public health evidence as to why click and collect is now in the frame.

"As such, forced closure seems somewhat arbitrary and marginal in terms of contributing to the suppression of the virus – not least as the new 'stay at home' order has just come into effect and is substantially reducing footfall, which is already at a low ebb.

 

"Of course, if there is clear evidence there is an unacceptable public health risk from these services remaining open and a need to legislate then of course our members would implement that – however, the consequences of ending this last opportunity for trade for many could be serious for many retailers.

"It's just a week since the publication of Scottish Government guidance which explicitly stated that these services can continue to trade, which makes it frustrating that there is yet more talk of chopping and changing the Covid framework.

"We recognise Government has to act quickly in the current environment, however we'd ask that engagement prior to public announcements adapts too."

A Scottish Government spokeswoman said: "We know how difficult conditions are for businesses and that is why the Finance Secretary has today announced a significant top-up to the grant support available for retail, hospitality and leisure businesses closed by Level 4 restrictions.

"The process of reviewing and updating our guidance in response to the pandemic is something we have done throughout the last nine months and we are continuing to look carefully at all existing and possible further measures needed as we respond to the rising number of coronavirus cases."

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