Turning the music off ‘is another nail in the coffin for our pubs’
A BAN on music in pubs will be the ‘nail in the coffin’ for many operators, industry leaders have warned.
Nicola Sturgeon unveiled a series of new curbs on bars and restaurants earlier this month following fears they are becoming virus hotspots.
But pub bosses yesterday reported that the new rules – including a ban on background music, dancing and even volume on the TV – has led to a slump in trade.
Stephen Montgomery, spokesman for the Scottish Leased and Licensed Pub Group, said many operators have suffered their worst weekend since they were allowed to reopen again in the middle of last month.
He also said the rules have forced him to close down one of his own venues, the Crown Hotel, in Lockerbie, Dumfriesshire. He added: ‘The ban on music was another nail in the coffin and we took the decision to close it after that. People don’t want to go to a place where there’s no music, people don’t want to sit and chat – there’s no privacy.
‘I’ve brought this up with government. People are having house parties and booking bands for their back gardens and that is completely uncontrolled – there’s no police and no traceability.
‘The Scottish Government have really got to sit and look at it and put some trust back in the operators.’
Mr Montgomery, who sits on the Scottish Government’s tourism recovery taskforce, said he has been bombarded with messages from pub operators saying they have just suffered their worst weekend. Many said customers have stayed away because of the ban on music.
Hospitality firms have not received confirmation of how long the new rules will be in place, even though funfairs, snooker halls and bingo venues can resume from today, and live music venues can reopen from
September 14. Mr Montgomery said: ‘People aren’t coming out because there is no music and there is no privacy. People are leaning in closer in restaurants because they don’t want to be heard by the next table.
‘There is a backlash coming. Anyone who was in any doubt, who hasn’t opened before now, will just stay shut. What happens at the end of October when furlough ends if we are still in this situation?
‘It’s going to be ridiculous. Huge job losses. And if these places close, the chances of them reopening again are going to be very slim.’
Latest figures published yesterday showed another 83 new confirmed coronavirus cases, with 37 in the NHS Tayside area – where authorities are dealing with an outbreak at the 2 Sisters food processing plant in Coupar Angus – 16 in Greater Glasgow and Clyde area and 11 in Lothian.
The figures showed 245 people in Scotland were in hospital with confirmed coronavirus, a fall of one from the previous day. Two people with the disease are in intensive care.
A Scottish Government spokesman said: ‘We don’t want the restrictions in place for any longer than is needed, but in order to continue to suppress Covid-19 the clinical advice remains pubs and bars should have no background music or volume from TVs. This is because of increased risk of transmission from aerosol and droplets when people raise their voices.’
Comment – Page 14
‘Completely uncontrolled’