Scottish hospitality groups have come together in a bid to help direct the country’s path out of lockdown and urge the Government to consider proposals they believe will avoid further “catastrophic” losses to the sector.
Nicola Sturgeon is on Tuesday to offer expectant Scots additional information on her roadmap back to something approaching normality.
In recent days, Scotland’s national clinical director Jason Leitch has said a recent rise in cases – following days of more positive news – had left the Government “worried”.
He has expressed hope, however, that the trend will prove merely a “blip”.
On Friday, the first minister was able to offer a “minor but important” relaxation on meeting with friends and family to allow up to four people from two households to gather outdoors.
Ms Sturgeon is expected to be able to offer more good cheer on Tuesday but, as she prepares to so, calls have been made for the Scottish Government to adopt a more simplified reopening strategy when it comes to hospitality.
Doing away with curfews and additional other restrictions, such as alcohol only being served with a meal, could save 60,000 jobs and contribute more than £1.2 billion to the economy, according to a collective of industry leaders.
The recommendations set out by the Scottish Hospitality Group, UK Hospitality Scotland, Scottish Licensed Trade Association, Night Time Industries Association and the Scottish Beer & Pub Association, urge ministers to mirror reopening plans in England.
It is hoped this will prevent Scottish businesses from being at a competitive disadvantage when compared to the rest of the UK.
The tweaks suggested by the groups follow figures published by economic consultancy firm BiGGAR Economics.
Researching the impact that proposed restrictions would have on the sector, the study found that under the current level 3 restrictions, 54% of hospitality businesses could be operational.
With the changes proposed by hospitality bosses, however, it suggests that number might increase to 73% – a figure said to represent a projected £927 million turnover and support of 53,300 jobs.
Similar improvements in turnover, job support and amount of businesses that are operational were observed when the firm analysed level 2 changes.
It said that under such conditions more than 90% of business would open, generating around £1.2 billion.
Graeme Blackett, director at the firm said: “Adjustments to the restrictions could get thousands of people back to work and allow the sector to generate turnover and contribute significantly to the public finances in the coming weeks and months.”
Colin Wilkinson, managing director of the Scottish Licensed Trade Association said: “The Scottish Government have the opportunity to throw a lifeline to the industry and those that it employs as we ride out the storm.”
The pandemic has presented the hospitality industry with challenges no one could have anticipated.
With business closures and the loss of jobs well documented throughout the sector, Emma McClarkin, CEO of the Scottish Beer & Pub Association, believes recovery can only be achieved when “pubs fully reopen”.
She added: “We cannot afford to delay the recovery and endanger the future of the industry, which is vital to Scotland’s economy.”
