an agonising wait to hear the Prime Minister's announcement. Without clarity and adequate support for the sector we serve, @HospAction will be witness to unprecedented numbers of hospitality households in financial peril."
Following the PM's announcement he added:
Neil Pattison, Director at Caterer.com, the online recruitment solutions partner commented: “Despite their rigour and focus in implementing successful Covid-secure protocols, it is frustrating to see that restaurants and bars will be slow to fully re-open compared to other businesses. Studies have shown that with the right systems in place, hospitality businesses have extremely low transmission rates. The sector is raring to go, leading the way for trading responsibly and introducing procedures which ensure the safety of staff and customers. Equally, customers are keen to return and enjoy hospitality venues, and this will positively impact both the economy and mental wellbeing in the UK. As the vaccine programme continues at pace and data allows, an earlier full reopening should be considered for hospitality venues as outdoor operation is simply not feasible for so many businesses.
“Alongside this, it’s crucial that government support continues to protect jobs in hospitality. It’s clear social distancing will be in place for the foreseeable future, and many businesses will continue to struggle to remain viable as their capacity to serve customers will be reduced.
“The hospitality industry is ready to play a major part in the UK’s economic recovery and we need to work hand-in-hand with government to build trust and confidence, so this vital sector can find its feet again.”
Scotland
As for Scotland, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has announced a "progressive easing" of restrictions on social contact leading up to businesses being allowed to reopen, conditional on the infection rate, hospitalisation rate and death rate continuing to drop at the current pace. Some schools in Scotland reopened on February 22nd.
Following on the lockdown measures being eased, the First Minister is looking at reinstating a leveled approach, along with an unspecified "more substantial" reopening of the economy.
* March 15 four people from two households will be allowed to meet outdoors, remaining primary school pupils and some secondary school pupils to return to school
*April 5 at least six people from two households should be able to meet together outdoors and communal worship will be allowed to resume
* End of April onwards, what the First Minister called a "phased but significant re-opening of the economy, including non essential retail, hospitality and services like gyms and hairdressers"
While the roadmap will come as a relief to some, critics have denounced the plan as being too vague and falling short of giving Scottish people and businesses the assurances they need.
Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson said the statement "fell short of public expectations," and added: "Everyone understands that we might not be able to give people absolute certainty - but they were at least expecting the first minister to give them some kind of hope.
"Nothing has been published about what happens after 26 April. This isn't a route map out of Covid, it is a holding document."
