Pubs and restaurants ‘ will not survive’ if restrictions continue

PUBS and restaurants will not sur vive Christmas unless they are allowed to stay open until 10pm, according to an industry body.

The Scottish Hospitality Group ( SHG), which represents businesses including The DRG Group, Signature Pubs and G1 Group, has urged the Scottish Government to change rules in Levels 2 and 3 of the coronavirus restrictions.

It has also demanded the Scottish Government publishes the scientific evidence behind its decision- making.

Hospitality venues in Level 3 must close at 6pm and are not allowed to sell alcohol, while in Level 2 closing time is 8pm indoors – where no alcohol can be sold – and 10.30pm outdoors for food and drinks.

Angus, Fife and Perth and Kinross will join the central belt, Dundee and Ayrshire in Level 3 from Friday after the tiers were revised on Tuesday.

Stephen Montgomery, spokesman for the SHG, said: “Remaining in the current tiers, or even worse moving up a tier, is a sucker punch for hard- working hospitality staff who face losing their jobs. The Government asked us for refinements to the current restrictions that would protect the public and allow us to trade viably.

“We provided those recommendations but they were completely ignored.”

The SHG said by extending opening times to 10pm businesses could “operate a full dinner service and bring in enough money to cover fixed costs such as rent, furlough contributions, and staff pension payments”.

Nic Wood, director of the Signature Pub Group, said: “The more viable we can be then the less of a burden we will be on the country and we will still provide safe places for people to socialise.

“Were it not for furlough, 75,000 people in the central belt would have lost their jobs this week.

“But the businesses employ these people need support to cover furlough contribution fixed costs.”

He added: “The Scottish Government must sit up and listen to what industry is saying to them or the majority of hospitality businesses, particularly the small, independent operators without deep pockets, will not be here past Christmas.

“Just tweaking the guidance slightly will save thousands that still the and of jobs and save the taxpayer millions while still giving the public a safe place to meet friends and family.”

Meanwhile, JD Wetherspoon boss Tim Martin has lashed out at “baffling and confusing” coronavirus restrictions as the pub chain revealed that England’s second national lockdown will cost it around £ 14 million.

Mr Martin’s latest attack on government measures came as Wetherspoon reported a 27.6% plunge in first- quarter sales for the 15 weeks to November 8 following the introduction of the 10pm curfew.

It added it will burn through around £ 14 million while its pubs are forced to close in the second lockdown.

Mr Martin, who is chairman of Wetherspoon, said: “For any pub or restaurant company trading in different parts of the UK, and for customers generally, the constantly changing national and local regulations, combined with geographical areas moving from one tier to another in the different jurisdictions, are baffling and confusing.

“The entire regulatory situation is a complete muddle.”

The group said the Scottish restrictions are, as previously reported, having a “serious effect on trade”.