I HAVE recently heard reports or warnings that UK pubs, restaurants, hotels, air travel and even many high street stores will soon be raising their prices to cover their losses during our past lockdown – plus their added costs to ensure safe virus protection when they get to open again.

This will surely be them all shooting themselves in the foot.

During the past four months or more of lockdown and self-distancing, many have found new lifestyles in order to ‘carry on’. Online shopping has increased vastly alongside the added increase of older folk learning technology with the internet. Supermarkets have done just as well with their sales of alcohol and foodstuff with many people now entertaining themselves at home.

Same goes for planning overseas holidays: far better to ‘stay-cation’ than risk flying abroad where lockdown itself will limit past pleasures or freedoms.

For a good many, this might become a permanent lifestyle choice, especially for those suffering equally a loss of lockdown finances. Money is tight all around and not just for businesses.

So instead of threatening price rises in UK – all businesses should be ‘enticing’ people to leave their homes and come back to them, other than just drive them away even further.

After all, our government has already allowed so many cash benefits for all employers to keep them afloat – for which, I might add, the taxpayers of the future will have to pay. Now it just seems to me that many companies want their cake and eat it too by doubling it all up with their future consumers.

Come July 4, Independence Day, when pubs and restaurants will be allowed to re-open, I do see a big turn-out from mostly the young as it will be a celebration day’ like New Year’s Eve.

Yet I envisage even more problems with social distancing.

I agree we need to get our economy going – but without an antidote or even proper testing, are we really ready for all this?

Myself, I will continue to shop online and stick to my supermarket for all my social pleasures with eating and drinking – and with the threat of raised prices, both businesses will do even better on this.

CHRISTINE PETERS

Wellington Road, Bournemouth