Sturgeon admits to a ‘lack of clarity’ around rules as she says restaurants can’t become cafes to stay open
NICOLA Sturgeon admitted there has been a “lack of clarity” around new coronavirus rules as she told businesses unsure of their position to close.
The First Minister made the comments hours before a two-week hospitality shutdown came into force across central Scotland last night.
Pubs and restaurants have closed, but cafes have been told they can remain open even if they are licensed, as long as they don’t sell alcohol.
However this sparked widespread confusion over the definition of a cafe, as licensing laws make no distinction between cafes, restaurants and bars.
Ms Sturgeon was accused of overseeing a “complete shambles”.
During her regular coronavirus briefing, she said new regulations – published just minutes before she stood up to speak – define a cafe as an establishment where the “primary business activity...is the sale of non-alcoholic drinks, snacks or light meals”.
She warned restaurants cannot “decide to stop selling alcohol, become cafes and stay open” as that would “undermine the purpose of these restrictions”.
She said: “If a premise is in doubt, they should close, unless an environmental health officer tells them they think they fall within the definition.
“Now, if cafes are finding this difficult, then the only alternative we will have is to say anybody with a licence should close.”
Ms Sturgeon said cafes are being exempted to “give people, particularly those who might be living alone and also working from home, somewhere they can still meet a friend for a coffee and a chat”.
She said ministers had realised the new rules created an anomaly for cafes with an alcohol licence.
She said: “What I announced the other day would have forced these cafes to close, and in some areas, particularly rural areas, they might be the only cafe in the village.
“So we decided to try to resolve this in a very targeted way.
“And in the 24 hours that we’ve been doing so, I readily accept that has resulted in a lack of clarity.
“But sometimes that’s the price we have to pay right now for trying to be as flexible as possible.”
She said businesses with doubts or questions should discuss these with local environmental health authorities.
However she later said:
“We are defining this as well as we can. But if any premise thinks they want greater clarity, my only advice I can give is to close.”
Paul Waterson, spokesman for the Scottish Licensed Trade Association, said clarity is crucial and called the current situation a “mess”. He said: “Now we have a definition which asks more questions than it answers.”
The First Minister previously unveiled sweeping restrictions including the closure of licensed premises, such as bars and restaurants, until October 25.
The shutdown applies to Greater Glasgow and Clyde, Lanarkshire, Ayrshire and Arran, Lothian and Forth
Valley.
Elsewhere in Scotland, alcohol will be banned inside bars and restaurants and all indoor hospitality venues will have to close at 6pm.