A popular Edinburgh street market has been forced to close due to new Covid-19 restrictions.
The Pitt Market in Leith has a range of street food traders that sell food and drink to locals but when the news came through this week they had some thinking to do.
After much deliberation The Pitt have taken the decision to close after receiving hundreds of cancellations off the back of the announcement on Tuesday by Nicola Sturgeon.
In a statement online they said they will have to close for the next six weeks or so but hope to see their customers again soon.
They said: “We’re gutted. Like so many of our friends in the hospitality industry. The Pitt has had an influx of cancellations off the back of the headlines/government updates, literally hundreds of people within a matter of hours.
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“Very sadly it is just not financially possible for us to stay open with so little tables booked and so we have made the tough decision to close our doors until the end of January, when we’ll reopen for the next Leith Social on the 27th.
“We’ve let all our bookings know and they’ll of course be getting refunds. In the meantime please do support our sister pub The Bullfinch and find our stall, Melted, beside the ice skating on George Street until the 4th of January.
“Keep praying for hospitality, We wish you all a very Merry Christmas. Here’s to reuniting in a happier and healthier 2022.”
Nicola Sturgeon today confirmed that she will be making £66 million available to support the hospitality sector through the current crisis.
She said: “We are working with councils, enterprise agencies and others to ensure businesses get this money as soon as possible - those who have previously received support will be contacted directly.”
Ms Sturgeon confirmed that the Omicron variant has now replaced Delta as the dominant Covid strain circulating in Scotland.
Sturgeon continued: “Cases have already increased by more than 40 per cent in the past week, and we should expect to see that continue and indeed accelerate in the period ahead.
“The tsunami I warned about a week ago is now starting to hit us.”
