Top Scottish chef Nick Nairn has spoken out about the new rules being imposed across Scotland from Boxing Day which sees more restrictions placed on hospitality again.
Stating that this could “be the death of the industry” celebrity chef Nick, who owns various venues in Dunblane and south Perthshire, says more needs to be done to support the industry which is on its knees.
Usually hospitality’s busiest time of year, the festive season is a time many venues envisioned they would be able to make up for losses incurred as a result of the on-going coronavirus pandemic.
However, the First Minister yesterday revealed new restrictions would come into play from Boxing Day, with Hogmanay events impacted and a multitude of rules including return to table service, one metre distancing and no more than three households at any one table imposed.
Closing Nick’s PoM early tomorrow at 3pm last orders at 1330,due to the tsunami of cancellations. Despite having well spaced tables, high ceilings, excellent ventilation and lots of outdoor tables. Of course we respect & understand peoples choices , 🤞🏻for £ govt support .🙏 pic.twitter.com/OGGcMPHKbp
— Dr Dr Nick Nairn (@NickNairn) December 18, 2021
He said: “It is a nightmare. I think most in hospitality are feeling hugely let down.
“We are in a perfect storm right now. We’ve got the government saying stay at home and don’t go out to hospitality, and then we’ve got track and trace.
“We had a team member test positive at the weekend and our whole team has had PCR tests but half of them are waiting for their results, three days later.
“What do I do?
“We’ve been forced to shut as we can’t guarantee everyone is negative. For these people bleating about millionaires who can’t put petrol in a Bentley, they have no f****** idea what it is like to run a business like this.
“All we are trying to do is keep our team in a job. I have had enough. We have had two years of misery and just when we think we’re getting out of it – here we go again…
“Instead of having a rational approach and looking at the balance between closing everything down and public health, they’ve had this kneejerk reaction and there’s no support.
“They must know they are killing us. It isn’t just us. More than 50% of people I am speaking to are saying this could be the death of our industry.”
Will hospitality workers even have jobs?
Now closed now until December 27 due to having no staff as a result of a member testing positive, Nick is unsure what the future holds for the industry which is “on its knees”.
Suffering from staff shortages earlier this year when hospitality reopened indoors due to many European workers and others leaving the industry as a result of Brexit and uncertainty, this too has also put additional pressures on the industry.
“It hasn’t been properly thought through. Restaurants are well regulated. We have environmental health compliance, liquor licences, social distancing, sanitising stations, we wear masks – we do all of the things we have to do. It is a safe place to come.
@RishiSunak You’ve helped us before, please do it again 🙏 pic.twitter.com/nCQrZUyK2X
— Dr Dr Nick Nairn (@NickNairn) December 16, 2021
“By saying stay at home people will go to the supermarket and get a carry out and get a few friends round – you’re just driving this thing underground. It is a huge disappointment.
“The mental health issues we’ve got now. There’s a lot of people coming apart at the seams. I see it every day.
“People don’t know if places will be reopen, will they even have a job? We have people awake half of the night awaiting these PCR results. I was texting someone at 2am this morning to find out if we could open a bit of the business.”
Very different to last time
And Nick is adamant this year is unlike last. With a lack of furlough support and minimal government grants making their way to business’ should this summer have been a summer of saving for the winter, rather than repaying debts?
“We had a bit of support last time with furlough and grants and we had been trading well prior to that, and all we’ve been doing this summer is trying to pay back some of the money we borrowed or took out of our own pockets to keep going. We hadn’t got on top of that.
“What we just needed was this Christmas period to get us over the hump of January and February. Our suppliers are also feeling it. They have just filled their shops with produce for Christmas and they won’t sell any of it.”
‘Shut us down’
Looking past the festive break, Nick is uncertain whether or not hospitality will be completely shut down or not come January.
He insists the government shuts the sector down and gives businesses the support they need instead.
“Will we be back on December 27? Who knows. The kindest thing to do is shut us down and reintroduce the furlough system,” said Nick.
A huge thanks to all of our loyal customers for buying gift vouchers/ smoked salmon/ Nicks Gin and Gusbourne. You are helping keep us afloat! 🙏🙏 https://t.co/pmuOfcIePk pic.twitter.com/yQZuUsD2rC
— Dr Dr Nick Nairn (@NickNairn) December 20, 2021
“The amount of money they are talking about giving us for a month is what we’d go through in one maybe two days. That will be the same for other businesses with 12 to 25 employees.
“Our industry has been pummelled and then left lying in the street. Every day that goes by there’s less chance our industry will come back.
“The knock on of those wanting to enter hospitality will be huge. We’ve fought so hard over the past two decades to put Scotland on the culinary world map and this has really set us back.
“Greggs, McDonald’s and big chains like that will survive, but the independents who care about provenance and where their food comes from, we’ll suffer the most.
“We have to believe we’re going to get through this. Otherwise me might as well shut up shop.”