HOSPITALITY LEFT IN DESPAIR
‘We’re staring into an abyss and this could finish us,’ says industry boss
PUB bosses say they are ‘staring into an abyss’ as new curfew restrictions heap pressure on Scotland’s battered economy.
Pubs, bars and restaurants must close at 10pm from Friday, with Nicola Sturgeon warning premises that do not comply could be shut down completely.
The First Minister signalled that she considered closing pubs, restaurants and cafes around the clock but claimed the UK Government failed to commit to wage support for the move.
The curfew could last as long as six months and include the festive period.
Last night, the hospitality sector warned that thousands of jobs and firms were at risk as the sector faces being ‘devastated’.
They claimed the move could see customers heading to illegal house parties and mass gatherings instead, defying a Scotland-wide ban on entering other homes.
Speaking at Holyrood yesterday,
Miss Sturgeon said: ‘People sometimes ask me why we don’t just close pubs again altogether, and I can understand that.
‘The answer, to be frank, is that we are seeking to find a balance between action to suppress the virus and the protection of people’s jobs and livelihoods.’
Miss Sturgeon added: ‘The decision today means we can reduce the amount of time people are able to spend in licensed premises, thereby curtailing the spread of the virus, while still allowing businesses to trade and provide jobs. This is the best balance for now.’
She admitted that the restrictions ‘will not be welcomed’ – with hospitality firms and organisations reacting in fury.
Premises will be subject to the same curfew in England.
It came as pub chain JD Wetherspoon said it could cut 400 to 450 jobs at its sites at six airports, including Glasgow and Edinburgh.
Whitbread, which owns Premier Inn and Beefeater, also warned 6,000 jobs could be axed across the UK due to dwindling demand.
Scottish Hospitality Group spokesman Stephen Montgomery, said: ‘We are now staring into an abyss. A national curfew on
Scotland’s bars, restaurants and late night venues will have a critical impact on those crucial later trading hours.
‘Many of us are already trading at a loss and some members estimate they will see their turnover plummet by more than 25 per cent with the new measures.’
Mr Montgomery claimed there was ‘little evidence’ that the hospitality industry was responsible for a surge in Covid-19 cases, amid claims that only 5 per cent of infections are being traced back to pubs and other venues.
He added: ‘Without meaningful support from the Government, many businesses will not survive further than Christmas.
‘With tighter restrictions, even more will be plunged into the red.’
Recent figures suggest the jobs of 12,500 Scots are at risk in the pub trade.
The Scottish Beer and Pub Association said: ‘Pubs were struggling to break even before today and these latest restrictions will push some to breaking point.’
Miss Sturgeon also announced stricter inspection measures and enforcement to identify businesses that fail to comply with restrictions.
Scottish Tourism Association chief executive Marc Crothall said: ‘Sadly, this is likely to be the last straw for many businesses which were only just managing to break even. The impact that his new rule will have on restaurants, in particular in terms of restricting a second seating in the evening, will result in a substantial loss of revenue.’
CBI Scotland director Tracy Black said: ‘There can be no escaping the fact that earlier closing times for Scotland’s pubs, cafes and restaurants will be a bitter pill for a sector already hugely impacted by the crisis.’