Restrictions placed on Renfrewshire pubs mean most will likely remain closed as the area eases out of lockdown, industry bosses have warned.
Pubs, bars and restaurants will be allowed to reopen from April 26.
But the fact alcohol will only be permitted outside means it may not be possible for many popular pubs across the region to reopen.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon revealed plans for hospitality on Tuesday.
She said food and drink could be served outdoors until 10pm.
And, while some small groups may be able to eat inside, that will only be permitted until 8pm and no alcohol can be served.
The move, according to a Renfrewshire landlord, is penalising those who do not have a beer garden.
Nick Mackenzie, CEO at Greene King, which owns four bars across Renfrewshire - including Linwood Farm, Craig Dhu, Gabriels and Flying Scotsman - said, for many, an April reopening may not be possible.
He said: “In reality, allowing pubs to reopen in April with outdoor trading only means the industry will largely remain closed.
“While it is good news that we now have the dates for when lockdown will be eased in Scotland, and we welcome the extra grants which will benefit our tenants, it is frustrating that, yet again, pubs are being singled out.
“There is no justification for restrictions, such as curfews and not being able to serve alcohol indoors, which have both unintended consequences and restrict pubs’ viability.”
But he added: “We can’t wait to welcome customers back to the pub and start to rebuild our business – the government can rely on us to do this safely and responsibly.”
Nick’s concerns are shared by Paisley First, the consortium that represents business interests in the town.
While the organisation also welcomed the indicative dates for reopening, it said it had significant concerns about the future of town-centre pubs which do not sell food.
A spokeswoman for the Paisley First said: “While the restart grants are welcome, they don’t necessarily reflect the continued restrictions that some businesses may still have to operate under and so we would like to see sectors such as hospitality and the beauty industry given additional support as restrictions are eased.
“In particular, our town centre pubs that don’t serve food have been closed since last October and we don’t yet know what the reopening guidelines will look like and how this will impact on their ability to trade.”
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon confirmed additional support for businesses would be made available in the coming
months.
Combined closure grants and grants to help firms restart their businesses will see funding of up to £7,500 for eligible retail businesses and up to £19,500 for those eligible in hospitality.
But Jackie McCaig, who owns the Old Swan Inn, says businesses like hers - despite having a beer garden - are “drowning” in debt.
Lambasting the support made available from the Scottish Government, the landlady with 21 years’ experience said support throughout this most recent lockdown has been nowhere near sufficient.
She said: “It has been a really difficult winter.
“Financially, it was a lot tougher,
“I’m in thousands of pounds of debt and the money made available doesn’t cover the bills.
“In the first lockdown, we had a decent amount of money from the government. It was enough to stop us drowning, but this time it has been completely different.
“Even though some companies provide holiday payments, all of that debt is being accrued.
“I really need to pick myself up again to get us up and open again this summer.”
