‘Mixed advice’ on new variant triggers wave of Xmas party cancellations
HOSPITALITY VENUES HIT WITH ‘DEVASTATING BLOW’ IN RUN-UP TO CHRISTMAS AMID FEARS OVER OMICRON
MANCHESTER’S restaurant, bar and hotel bosses have reported huge numbers of Christmas party cancellations after ‘mixed messages’ from the government on socialising in the wake of the new Omicron variant of coronavirus.
The embattled hospitality industry had been hoping for a buoyant December this year after lockdown restrictions over the past 18 months.
But Manchester bars, restaurants and hotels were met with a ‘flood’ of Christmas party cancellations from Tuesday onwards this week – after UK Health Security Agency boss Jenny Harries said that people should consider limiting socialising ‘when we don’t particularly need to,’ amid fears over the new Omicron variant. Manchester’s night time economy adviser Sacha Lord says that every operator he has spoken to across the region this week has faced cancellations.
Boris Johnson’s spokesman has since clarified that there is no government guidance to state parties must be cancelled, saying: “The prime minister has been very clear on this. On Christmas parties, we don’t want people to cancel such events.” Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham has also insisted that there is no need for people to cancel events if ‘people take the right precautions.’
But Sacha has warned the damage has already been done from the ‘mixed messages’ put out this week.
He tweeted on Tuesday: “Every restaurant I’ve spoken to today, is now experiencing Xmas party cancellations. Most of these businesses desperately needed a good December.
“The knock on effect will be catastrophic. Businesses, jobs, supply chain. A blow to a devastating year.”
He went on to tell the M.E.N.: “I think when Dr Jenny Harries on
Tuesday told us to limit social contact it created such a panic, such a fear and I’m not overegging this when I say I’d be amazed if you spoke to any operator now who hasn’t had an effect from this.”
Restaurants and hotels across the city have been reporting a surge in cancellations for bigger group bookings and office parties due to take place in December.
Scott Brown, director of sales for the Innside by Melia Hotel in Manchester, said: “This week the phones have not stopped ringing with companies calling us either cancelling or postponing – 50 per cent of our conference and events
for December have been cancelled or postponed, to be fair most people are putting parties back to January or February.”
He added: “I genuinely think in terms of saving our Christmas, saving December, a month when 25 per cent of hospitality business comes in this festive period it can’t be turned around now.
“No one is filling that gap with three weeks to go, the damage has been done in that sense.
“All we can do is look ahead to the new year and hope that when certain statements are made we hope thoughts are made to how that will affect our industry.”