Thousands of Paisley revellers have used the covid test and trace system without a SINGLE alert being issued, a nightclub boss has revealed.
Vienna’s in the town’s New Street, reopened on August 9 after 18 months of closure due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
So far, it has welcomed roughly 8,000 people through its doors.
But manager Stephen Adams (right) says they have had zero alerts from test and trace.
TGC Leisure - which operates the popular nightclub - revealed it has had zero contacts with test and trace in the ten weekends since it returned.
TGC Leisure owns 13 venues across Scotland - including the famous Fat Sam’s in Dundee - and says it has had no alerts for covid cases through their test and trace system which recorded around 20,000 people.
The information from the nightclub firm comes as bosses at Vienna’s hit out at the new vaccine passport scheme which came into force yesterday.
As of this weekend, only fully vaccinated Buddies can attend the busy nightclub - a move which the club’s director Tony Cochrane previously said could signal the end for some venues.
Health Secretary Humza Yousaf said the new scheme would allow venues to “help keep transmission under control”.
But the latest claims surrounding test and trace fly in the face of the controversial scheme, according to Vienna’s bosses.
General manager Stephen Adams, questioned the implementation of the vaccine passport scheme when he says it is clear test and trace is clearly flawed.
He told the Express: “You can’t tell us that not a single person we have had in the club has not had covid.
“At one point, Renfrewshire had one of the highest rates for covid cases so it’s just not possible.
“We haven’t had a single contact from test and trace in the ten weeks we have been open again.
“Now we are having to put this new policy in place when once which we have been working hard to follow is clearly not effective.
“It would be really interesting to know how other hospitality venues have found test and trace.”
TGC Leisure adapted it’s own test and trace system when the covid monitoring system was launched last year.
Their model proved to be so successful that it was sold to the Welsh Government and is also understood to have been implemented by Aberdeen Council.
Once TGC Leisure bosses are alerted by NHS test and trace about a covid case in one of their venues, they then alert customers through their own system.
However that is yet to happen as no NHS contact traces have ever been in touch.
This is despite Renfrewshire recording some of the highest daily covid cases in Scotland, including a record breaking 352 in one day in September.
Stephen added: “We are hoping the Scottish Government will pull it in a few weeks when it becomes clear it’s not practical.
“It is going to be interesting to see what numbers are like in venues as I have heard other clubs are losing 50/60 people a night which is a lot of money. You can understand why some people are resentful of it.”
The controversial plans have previously been branded as “dangerous” and “worrying” by industry bosses who fear for the future of their businesses.
Following the enforcement of the vaccine passports, Health Secretary Humza Yousaf said: “This is a very limited scheme and we hope this will allow businesses to remain open and prevent any further restrictions as we head into autumn and winter.
“This virus has not gone away and vaccine certification will have a role to play in keeping transmission under control as part of a wider package of measures. It adds a further layer of protection in certain higher risk settings.”
A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “Test and Protect has been able to contact record numbers of people since the rise in cases during Summer 2021, and continues to be an effective and vital part of our response to the pandemic.
“Covid certification is a proportionate way of encouraging people to get vaccinated, and also of helping large events and night-time hospitality to keep operating during what will potentially be a very difficult winter.
“This means businesses will not have to close and can continue to trade whilst making necessary adjustments to ensure their premises are as safe as possible for staff and customers.”
