The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
Venues having to switch on and off like a bar tap
When Scottish Licensed Trade Association (SLTA) members past and present gathered in Edinburgh last February to mark the organisation’s 140th anniversary, little did they realise they would shortly be hit by a juggernaut.
We celebrated our significant milestone and, while we reflected on the past, we mainly looked forward to the year ahead, during which we planned to further strengthen the association for the benefit of pub owners and hospitality businesses through training, lobbying and a raft of other initiatives.
Five weeks later we were in lockdown, facing a situation that was both surreal and – to use that word that we’ve heard so much – unprecedented.
A chapter in a centenary book charting the SLTA’S history states that when the organisation was founded, licensees were “acutely conscious of an ever-increasing struggle for survival as their trade was becoming more involved in national politics”.
The final paragraph refers to “forces of temperance gathering on the horizon”. The way ahead, it says, would not be an “easy road”.
All of this rings true today as we continue to grapple with lockdowns, and messages on restrictions that confuse both operators and customers.
It’s an ever-changing feast of confusion and despair for hospitality operators and the supply chain that supports them.
Of course, now the Covid-19 vaccine is being rolled out there is much more hope for a return to “normal” but that cannot happen without more financial support for struggling businesses.
We are grateful for the support we have received so far but it remains woefully inadequate.
Meanwhile, the UK Supreme Court’s decision to back firms which had their business interruption insurance claims disputed or rejected is fantastic news and will help beleaguered businesses in these difficult times.
The SLTA welcomes this final judgment, which will ensure operators will get settlement for insurance cover they assumed they had and should have had at the very beginning of the pandemic.
For some, regrettably, this lifeline may be too late to save their businesses.
This year is already shaping up to be tough.
Not all businesses will survive and jobs will be lost.
We need more clarity from the Scottish and UK governments if we are to have a fighting chance.
Our sector needs more help right now if it is to survive beyond spring.
The UK Government needs to also look at extending the commercial rates relief, continuing the VAT reduction for the hospitality sector and extending the furlough scheme further. In addition, there needs to be more information or indication of an exit strategy out of this pandemic so that businesses can try to plan ahead.
We continue to speak regularly with Scottish Government ministers and officials, but sometimes it would appear that we’re not really getting anywhere and there is an apparent lack of understanding of the harsh reality of the situation – that our members are at breaking point.
Members are running out of money and every time they switch the lights on it is a drain on their resources.
We are not expecting any relaxation of the current rules.
We’ve said before the wider issue is the uncertainty – it’s hugely unfair on businesses to expect them to switch on and off like a tap.
It’s not just a case of opening the doors – premises have to order supplies and organise staff rotas.
Many have already taken the decision to remain closed until spring because of this uncertainty.
Scotland’s pubs, bars and restaurants still face the threat of permanent closure in what is an industry in crisis.
We will continue to do all we can to suppress the virus but we also want to be part of Scotland’s economic recovery with committed, responsible operators playing a key role in getting the nation up and running again.
Of course, we remain committed to continuing to work with the Scottish Government to find solutions to enable our sector to keep trading but the stark reality of the situation is that time is running out.