Club forced to ditch its dancefloor
A nightclub has got rid of its dancefloor so it no longer needs to ask customers for a vaccine passport.
Lulu in Edinburgh said it was taking the action after a “crash in sales”.
It is a legal requirement for certain establishments to ask for proof someone has had both doses of the Covid vaccine before entry, in a scheme brought in by the Scottish Government last month.
But is has proved controversial, with the hospitality industry saying it is keeping people away. And now Lulu’s, based on George Street, has said it will no longer ask for a passport.
To remain legally compliant, the venue – owned by the Montpeliers group – confirmed it has removed its dancefloor.
With customers unable to congregate in one area to dance, and instead being more confined to their tables, the dancefloor has also been turned into a new seating area with additional furniture.
Speaking about the changes, Innes Bolt, managing director, said: “We have experienced a significant decline in footfall resulting in a crash in our sales, which meant Lulu was running at a loss.
“To protect our staff, promoters and business, we have removed the dancefloor and reconfigured our space. Instead, we have created a new seating area, bringing in additional furniture to occupy that space and repositioning our DJ Booth. This will allow us to maintain a safe and controlled environment.”
On Thursday Deputy First Minister John Swinney admitted ministers had no idea if the passport scheme was working but warned it could still be expanded to other sectors like pubs.