Trade groups call for Covid restrictions to be lifted in pubs
SCOTTISH hospitality groups have made an eleventh-hour call to lift Covid restrictions for pubs while accusing ministers of “double standards” in allowing official mass gatherings for the Euro 2020 tournament in Glasgow.
They say it is not too late for ministers to take action as Scotland face the Czech Republic in their opening fixture of the Euro 2020 tournament tomorrow, claiming there is hypocrisy in allowing thousands into official fan zones.
On Tuesday, Scotland’s Health Secretary Humza Yousaf told MSPs that the designated fan zone on Glasgow Green, where up to 6,000 Euro 2020 supporters can gather daily over the entire 31 days of the tournament, would go ahead, despite an increase in cases of 50 per cent across Scotland.
But pubs and clubs have strongly criticised the move to effectively give official sanction for the massgathering fan zone which will provide alcohol and live bands, having poured scorn on gatherings in George Square.
Groups have warned that the boost to pubs from Euro 2020 will be severely hampered by ongoing restrictions, including one-metre-plus social distancing, no standing and the rule of six.
Forty-seven police officers were injured as Rangers fans attacked each other and threw missiles at officers as they gathered in Glasgow to celebrate the Ibrox club winning their first Scottish Premiership championship since 2011.
Glasgow only moved to Level Two of the Covid restrictions last weekend after enduring some of the strictest restrictions in the country for nearly nine months.
Mr Yousaf told MSPs that while he understood concerns about the events, where ticketholders are encouraged to take a lateral flow test in advance but it is not mandatory, it would be an “outdoor, highly-regulated space”.
But the groups have said this ignores how pubs themselves are highly regulated and with the easing of restrictions could have handled fans and prevented official mass gatherings.
Euro 2020 kicked off on
Friday with Glasgow one of 11 host cities.
Scotland’s hospitality sector has warned that many will not survive if an increase in infection rates resulting from Euro 2020 events means the city is forced back into lockdown.
Colin Wilkinson, managing director of the Scottish Licensed Trade Association, said: “We would like to see the restrictions lifted as soon as possible because of the negative effect it is having on pubs’ viability. The Euros would have given the sector a chance to recoup the losses they have incurred in the last months.
“We have put in place measures to provide as safe an environment as possible. People enjoy going to the pub, especially for this spectacle, which is the first time in a generation. But because of the restrictions it is deeply affecting the viability of licensed premises and bars.
“Right now bars are operating at as low as 25-30% of their capacity.
“When you consider that licensed premises are closed all this time, yet we are told because of Covid we have to have these restrictions in place which restricts our numbers and yet it is okay to have 3,000 people, twice a day for a mass gathering in fan zones. It doesn’t appear to be a fair system.”
Some 3,000 people will be able to attend an afternoon session and another 3,000 an evening session in the “largely seated” venue which will be subject to social distancing rules.
The Scottish Beer & Pub Association (SBPA) is telling ministers it is not too late to have a rethink on the eve of Scotland’s first Euros match.
It says the ongoing Covid restrictions will “severely reduce” pub earnings as the Euros come to Scotland.
But the trade association says restrictions will greatly reduce the experience of watching Euro 2020 at the pub and will limit the number of customers they can have viewing the match.
Stephen Montgomery, spokesman for the Scottish Hospitality Group, added: “If it’s safe for the fan zone to go ahead then it’s safe for people to gather in well-run and responsible hospitality venues where we have all sorts of public health measures.”