Private get-togethers ‘hotbeds of infection’: Hospitality heads

Shutting pubs and restaurants at 10pm could lead to a “surge” in house parties “which are the real hotbeds of infection”, hospitality leaders have said.

The government has laid out plans for night-time venues to close at 10pm from Friday in a bid to stem rising coronavirus cases, with some scientists welcoming the move.

Yesterday, Cabinet Office minister Michael Gove said the shift would “make a difference”, adding: “There is evidence that the longer venues stay open, the greater degree of social mixing that takes place.”

Asked if a group of six people could leave a pub at 10pm and carry on drinking at a house, Mr Gove suggested they could as this was within the rules.

Michael Kill, chief executive of the Night-time Industries Association, said the 10pm closures were a “devastating” blow, adding: “This curfew will lead to the demise of many of our most beloved cultural and entertainment venues.

“Businesses in the night-time economy are both shocked and disappointed by the government’s continued targeting of restrictions on late-night venues and bars, partially open at a fraction of their capacity, when they have admitted that the majority of transmission takes place in households.

“As a result of this measure, we foresee a surge of unregulated events and house parties which are the real hotbeds of infection, attended by frustrated young people denied access to safe and legitimate night-time hospitality venues.”

Emma Mcclarkin, chief executive of the British Beer and Pubs Association, said curfew plans are “particularly heart-breaking” for pubs in areas where infection rates are under control.

“Make no mistake, a 10pm curfew will devastate our sector during an already challenging environment for pubs,” she said.

“Pubs were struggling to break even before today and these latest restrictions will push some to breaking point.

“Removing a key trading hour on top of fragile consumer confidence and the reduced capacity pubs already face will put thousands more pubs and jobs at risk.”

The announcement comes as job losses continue to mount in the hospitality sector, which was particularly hard hit by initial lockdown restrictions.

Earlier yesterday, Premier Inn owner Whitbread said it plans to cut 6,000 roles after a slump in demand, while pub giant Wetherspoons announced it will axe up to 450 positions at its airport sites.

David Mcdowall, chief operating officer of Brewdog, tweeted to say that the new rules are “infuriating and totally avoidable”.

He said: “Thousands of businesses and hundreds of thousands of livelihoods have been placed at risk as a result of the government’s inability to establish a competent testing network or functioning contact tracing programme.”

Dr Stephen Griffin, associate professor in the School of Medicine at Leeds University, said limiting interactions was a good thing, but added: “I am less convinced that the 10pm curfew will be effective as it runs the risk of compressing activity and having people leave at a single time in larger numbers.”

He said Mr Gove’s suggestion that people could extend their night at friends’ houses showed how “the messaging surrounding this sort of restriction is confused and the rationale for implementing it has not been made clear”.

Dr Griffin said: “The concern is that an unfavourable public response to such measures will erode compliance on the fundamental issues of maintaining space and ventilation, wearing face coverings indoors and in crowded areas, and maintaining good hand hygiene.”

Dr Julian Tang, honorary associate professor of respiratory sciences at Leicester University, said: “This seems like a soft restriction, but it is preferable to total local or national lockdowns; and it could have a useful impact – if everyone tries to stick to it – to hopefully reduce the R number.”

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This curfew will lead to the demise of many of our most beloved cultural and entertainment venues.

MICHAEL KILL