The Press and Journal (Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire)
Extension of hospitality restrictions
Tough restrictions on hospitality have been extended for a further week and could go on even longer, as industry leaders warned the decision “could be the end of Scotland’s pubs as we know them”.
Nicola Sturgeon confirmed bars and restaurants in central Scotland will remain closed and a ban on all licensed premises selling alcohol indoors will be kept in place until November 2 ahead of the introduction of a new five-tier coronavirus alert system.
At her daily briefing, as the country recorded 28 new Covid-19 deaths – the most since May 21 – she said it would be premature to lift restrictions.
The Scottish Government will publish details of its new multi-tier restrictions system tomorrow but the first minister could not rule out hospitality restrictions, initially planned to last for 16 days, continuing beyond November 2.
“I know all of this is really unwelcome, and I know these restrictions are harsh,” the SNP leader said. “They’re harsh financially for many individuals and businesses and they are harsh emotionally for all of us.
“But I also want to stress that we do believe these restrictions will make a difference, and indeed we believe they may already be making a difference.”
The first minister said she had agreed with her cabinet that the short-term restrictions should remain in place to ensure a “smooth transition to the new system”.
The new framework will include details of financial support for businesses legally forced to close or restrict their business, which Ms Sturgeon said will be “broadly similar” to what is on offer in other parts of the UK.
But it emerged the plans met immediate resistance when briefed to political leaders at Holy rood on Tuesday, including criticism over an apparent lack of detail provided by the Scottish Government.
Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross accused the Scottish Government of failing to use time during the closures to work with businesses “to develop ways they can reopen again with confidence”.
“Businesses are not being involved in decisions that will have huge knock- on consequences for Scottish jobs,” he said. “The Scottish Government’s own advisers say that 100,000 Scottish jobs are at risk. If the SNP keep stalling, those jobs will be lost.”
Scottish Labour leader Richard Leonard said the public “need clarity over what restrictions they will be living with and what support will be available to them ”, and called for information to be made available “as a matter of urgency”.
Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie said: “We have had four strategies in three weeks, starting with the route map, then the 16 days of restrictions that has now turned into 23 days, and we will have the new strategy announced on Friday.
“It doesn’t look like we’re in control of the situation.”
Scotland recorded 1,739 positive tests overnight into Wednesday and there were 873 people in hospital with confirmed cases of the virus, a rise of 49 in one day. Of those patients 73 were in intensive care, a rise of three.
Ms Sturgeon said the continuing rise in infections and deaths was “clearly concerning” but “should not be taken as an indication that the current restrictions we are living under are not having any impact”.
“We do believe these restrictions will make a difference, and we believe they ma y already be making a difference,” she said. “Even allowing for today’s figures, we may be seeing a reduction in the rate at which new cases are increasing.”
National clinical director Jason Leitch said the latest statistics, both in Scotland and across the world, were a “stark warning” of what Covid-19 can do but that there were also “grounds for cautious optimism”.
He said: “Your behaviour today literally saves lives. But not today. It saves those lives three to four weeks from now.”