One in three young Scots may face pub passport ‘lockout’

Around one-third of young adults face being locked out of Scotland’s pubs and restaurants in the run-up to Christmas if Covid vaccine passports are extended.

With a decision looming on possible new restrictions, it has emerged that the Scottish Government’s own evidence paper shows 31% of 18 to 29-year-olds would not have the required certification to visit a wider range of venues at the start of December.

Business leaders fear new rules could create a new “economic lockdown” which risks derailing the recovery of many firms at the most “critical point”.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon is due to announce today whether the Scottish Government will introduce tighter rules to curb growing coronavirus cases.

Vaccine passports, designed to prove a person has had two Covid-19 vaccinations, were introduced last month for people attending nightclubs and some large-scale events.

The scheme could soon be extended to include other venues, such as theatres, cinemas, restaurants and pubs.

A Scottish Government report, published on Friday, said extending the certification scheme was the least restrictive of measures the government could bring in, compared to reintroducing capacity limits on venues, curfews or completely closing events.

The report also states 88.1% of the overall adult population would have received two vaccine doses in time to be eligible for the certificate on December 1.

But that proportion falls to 77.6% for those in their 30s and to 69% of those aged 18 to 29.

Russell Borthwick, chief executive of Aberdeen and Grampian Chamber of Commerce, said: “Businesses have been clear that vaccine certification acts as an economic deterrent, placing additional cost on businesses with no additional support from government to help them meet the costs.

“The suggestions of a return to table service in hospitality, caps on venue capacity and curfews would in reality mean a return to an economic, if not social, lockdown, which would cause severe economic harm to Scotland’s businesses at a critical point in their recovery.”

Deputy First Minister John Swinney has said the current passport scheme was “working well” and had been downloaded for use more than 1.5 million times.

The public was “generally supportive”, according to the report, with overall approval for the scheme sitting at 59%, while 24% opposed it and 13% neither supported nor opposed it.

Mr Swinney has said: “We will continue to consult with hospitality industry representatives.” Don’t dim ‘golden quarter’ with Covid restrictions – page 30

ECONOMIC RECOVERY: Deputy First Minister John Swinney says the jab passport scheme is “working well”.