Follow England’s lead out of lockdown, pub and club owners urge

ScOTTISh hospitality bosses have called on the Scottish Government to follow Westminster’s route out of lockdown.

Organisations representing pubs, restaurants, nightclubs, hotels and cafes have produced a plan to save 60,000 jobs.

Industry leaders want a ‘pragmatic approach’, including getting rid of a curfew, and alcohol being served without a meal in a bid to open in a manner which allowed economic recovery but did not compromise public health.

The plan includes their suggestions for a series of amendments to Level 3 restrictions such as getting rid of queues and allowing seated customers to drink outdoors with closing time at 11.30pm.

Indoors, they proposed to close an hour earlier and serve alcohol with a meal.

The groups who have put their backing behind the plan include the Scottish hospitality Group, UK hospitality Scotland, Scottish Licensed Trade Association, Night Time

Industry Association and the Scottish Beer & Pub Association.

It was estimated the proposed changes to Level 3 from the current restrictions would generate an extra £658million in turnover and support an extra 31,400 jobs, according to research from consultancy Biggar Economics.

Nightclub bosses pleaded for a glimmer of hope for when people could get on dancefloors with no social distancing or restrictions on capacity, at Level 0.

The director of Biggar Economics, Graeme

Blackett, said yesterday: ‘Adjustments to the restrictions could get thousands of people back to work and allow the sector to generate turnover.’

Nightclub owner Donald Macleod called for ‘a balanced and fair road map to recovery that recognises this valuable sector and includes within its Levels a fully operational night-time economy and not one which ignores it and is a road map to nowhere’.

Colin Wilkinson, managing director of the Scottish Licensed Trade Association, said: ‘Changes need to be made if this important sector to Scotland’s economy is to survive.’

Chief executive of the Scottish Beer & Pub Association, Emma McClarkin, said: ‘Our hope is that Scotland will follow close to the unlocking plans in England.

‘However, should the Scottish Government remain wedded to a regional levels approach then our joint plan would see an additional £658million in turnover and support an extra 31,400 jobs in Level 3 compared to the current system.’