Paul Rowlett is the founder and CEO of EverythingBranded, which as the name implies supplies a wide range of promotional merchandise.
The firm is based in the south-east of the city near the station.
Rowlett said the lockdown was causing “untold damage” to local businesses in retail and hospitality.
Last week Leicester was required to continue with lockdown restrictions for a further fortnight from 4 July, just as pubs, cafes, restaurants and cinemas elsewhere reopened.
Rowlett said he believed other cities would “soon follow suit”.
“My advice to business owners is to always have a ‘Plan B’, because rules can change within hours and you need to be able to react fast. And make sure you know your rights: look at the stats, speak to a lawyer, and challenge your local MP, as you may well find that you can continue trading perfectly safely and legally, just like many firms in Leicester are,” he stated.
According to data from public health agencies compiled by the BBC, the top five areas with the highest rates of Covid-19 are Merthyr Tydfil, due to an outbreak at a food processing plant in the area, then Leicester, Bradford, Wrexham and Barnsley – although the number of cases is falling in the latter three.
“While protecting lives is of the utmost importance, it seems unfair and unreasonable that people across the country will be visiting pubs while our community goes back into lockdown. If the Covid-secure guidelines work, then there should be nothing stopping our retailers and hospitality businesses from reopening their doors,” Rowlett added.
“There is unfortunately a lot of negativity surrounding Leicester at the moment, but I know that we're a great city with great people and we'll come out stronger on the other side. This gives us another opportunity to prove how resilient we are.”
EverythingBranded has strategic partnerships with a number of print suppliers that produce the firm’s designs. The business has donated 20,000 strip thermometers to organisations and individuals to help in the fight against Covid-19.
