Everything you need to know about the coronavirus and its effects on the hospitality industry

the face of uncertainty and massive upheaval, we have put together this comprehensive guide - containing up to date news on the coronavirus, useful links of where to seek help. 

Useful information

• To find out whether you are entitled to the government's furlough scheme and what you can do as an employer to claim it, read this guide. 
• Here you'll find the terms and conditions and a guide of how to apply for a self-employed grant if you've lost income due to the coronavirus.  
• Click on the following links if you'd like to apply for a Hospitality Action grant, or if you'd like to donate money towards the cause. 
• If you have been left without employment but want to do your bit for the community, you can find volunteering opportunities within the NHS, or can be found through the following websites: Volunteering Matters, Emergency Food Response, Do It. 
• The Association of British Insurers have put together a Q and A for Coronavirus, they have said 'there are very few businesses which have the cover for a pandemic such as this which has forced them to close. If insurers included this cover as standard then policies would be very expensive'.

Timeline of events

Since the first case of the coronavirus was identified in the Hubei province of China last year, its repercussions have slowly crept up on Britain's common consciousness. 

April 27

Chancellor launches 100%-taxpayer-backed loans up to £50,000 - Chancellor Rishi Sunak has today launched the Bounce Back Loan scheme, which will allow businesses to apply online for loans of between £2,000 and £50,000. Sunak has said operators will be able to access funds within days of applying and that all loans will be interest free for the first year, with no repayments due during that period. The scheme will launch for applications on 4 May.

April 20

• The online portal for the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme is set to open on this date - click here for more details

april 17

• Chancellor Rishi Sunak announced the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme would be available for another month until the end of June.

April 16

• The Government announced an extension of three weeks to the UK lockdown to avoid any further risk to public health and the economy. 

April 7

• Trade body UKHospitality asks the Government to reconsider its decision to exclude tronc payments from the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme.

March 30

• Food Minister, George Eustice, has sent a public letter to those working in the food supply chain, including take away and delivery recognising them as key workers. It can be provided as proof as to why you are at work or travelling to work.

March 29

• England's deputy chief medical officer says 'it could be six months before life in the UK returns to "normal". Speaking at the government's daily coronavirus briefing, Dr Jenny Harries added: "This is not to say we would be in complete lockdown for six months." 

March 26 

• Following on public outcry lamenting a lack of support for the self-employed, thought to make up 15% of the British workforce, the government introduced a package similar to that given to salaried employees, promising a taxable grant worth 80% of their average monthly profits, which will be paid out in June, backdated to the 1st March. 

march 24

• The government extended a ban on private property evictions to the commercial sector, meaning restaurants unable to cover rents over the course of the next three months were given temporary protection.

March 20

• A salary subsidy plan was unveiled by the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rishi Sunak, under which the government would guarantee 80% of furloughed (in other words, unable to work) employees, up to a maximum of £2,500 a month for an initial period of three months, to be extented if necessary. 

March 19

• Prime Minister Boris Johnson called on all business owners to stand by their employees, promising to put together a support package to cover the wages of people whose jobs were affected the coronavirus. 

March 18

• Industry charity Hospitality Action called for donations to support professionals who suffered losses as a result of the coronavirus. As of March 27th, the charity has raised £159,000, which will be distributed in the form of one-off £250 grants.

March 16

• The government called for the British public to avoid "all non-essential contact," warning them against visiting pubs, cafes and restaurants, a move which the industry responded to in horror, as reservations went into freefall and they were left with no financial security or support.  

March 6

• For the hospitality industry, footfall started to plummet in city centres first, with fewer people travelling from abroad and the countryside for conferences. Chefs attending HRC on the first week of March told The Staff Canteen that corporate cancellations were becoming increasingly frequent, but that regular custom remained largely unscathed. 

If you've been adversely affected by the coronavirus and you'd like to share your story, or would like to suggest other ways in which people can seek out or offer their help, please get in touch by emailing cara@thestaffcanteen.com