Scotland's hospitality sector is 'staring into an abyss' following Nicola Sturgeon's earlier lockdown announcement, according to a prominent group of restaurant and bar owners.
The First Minister confirmed a 10pm curfew will be put in place on Friday amid a rise in coronavirus cases throughout Scotland. Since yesterday, an additional 383 cases of Covid-19 have been recorded and sadly, a further death registered.
And reacting to the lockdown measures, the Scottish Hospitality Group (SHG) warn of 'plunging into the red' with potential for thousands of redundancies, closures and even insolvency of businesses throughout the country which might not survive past Christmas.
The SHG also say there is 'very little evidence' of coronavirus transmission within the hospitality sector.
Spokesperson Stephen Montgomery commented: “We are now staring into an abyss. A national curfew on Scotland’s bars, restaurants and late night venues will have a critical impact on those crucial later trading hours. Many of us are already trading at a loss and some members estimate that they will see their turnover plummet by more than 25% with the new measures.
“There is a real concern that the hospitality industry is being singled out for restrictions with very little evidence to support a link to coronavirus transmission. Across the SHG alone (which employs 6,000 staff) we have seen only a handful of positive cases since July.
“With 90,000 Scottish jobs at risk we are heading towards a cliff edge and time is running out. We have been speaking with government and that will be ongoing but there is only a matter of months before the restrictions on our industry will have irreparable long-term damage on our sector. We are very keen to play our part but there has to be a balance. Without meaningful financial support from government many businesses will not survive further than Christmas.
“With tighter restrictions even more will be plunged into the red and the consequences will range from redundancies as a minimum, to the closure of individual premises right through to insolvency."
Meanwhile, Mr Montgomery warned the introduction of the curfew 'will only force bad behaviour underground'.
He added: “We have made significant investment to ensure that our premises are safely operating including enhanced hygiene measures and controlled physical distancing. We are already seeing an explosion of house parties and closing bars and restaurants at 10pm will only increase this.
“Responsible operators that offer a controlled environment are a key part of the solution. These restrictions will only force bad behaviour underground, where track and trace is almost impossible.”
Announcing the new measures for the hospitality sector within the Scottish Parliament today, Nicola Sturgeon said she is looking to strike a balance between suppressing the virus and protecting people's livelihoods. She also said there will be additional inspection of and enforcement of the rules.
She announced:"From Friday, pubs, bars and restaurants will be required to close at 10pm.
"Now, people sometimes ask me why we don’t just close pubs again altogether – and I can understand that.
"The answer – to be frank – is that we are seeking to find a balance between action to suppress the virus and the protection of people’s jobs and livelihoods.
"If the Scottish Government had greater powers to borrow money, or the ability to extend the Job Retention Scheme, for example, it is possible that we would reach a different balance of judgment on some of these issues. But we don’t.
"So this decision today means we can reduce the amount of time people are able to spend in licensed premises, thereby curtailing the spread of the virus, while still allowing businesses to trade and provide jobs. This is the best balance for now.
"However, I want to be clear with the hospitality trade about this. Notwithstanding the economic implications, further restrictions, including possible closure, will be unavoidable – locally or nationally – if the rules within pubs and restaurants on hygiene, face coverings, table service, maximum numbers in groups, and the distance between them are not fully complied with.
"I want to thank those businesses that are making huge efforts to ensure compliance. However, to ensure this is the case for all, we will be providing resources for additional Environmental Health Officers and asking local authorities to significantly step up inspection and enforcement."
