Hospitality bosses are braced for the worst today – with one Aberdeen pub owner warning young workers will “once again bear a disproportionate burden” if further restrictions are introduced.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon will outline at Holyrood additional measures her government wants to introduce to stem the resurgent coronavirus, while the trade warns they could cost hundreds of jobs.
Yesterday she ruled out a blanket national lockdown but warned health advisors were looking at where people met and mixed with other households.
National clinical director Jason Leitch reiterated some hospitality settings – with reduced distancing requirements, mixing of households and alcohol – are how he would hypothetically design a venue if he was looking for the virus to flourish.
But a trade body formed by some of Scotland’s leading bar and restaurant owners has warned any enforced closure of venues could cost them millions.
The country’s nine largest independent operators who make up the Scottish Hospitality Group (SHG) employ more than 6,000 people.
More than 1,500 are younger than 25.
Aberdeen’s Nic Wood runs Signature Pubs, a 22-strong chain across Scotland.
In March, the group had three venues in the Granite City but now only The Spiritualist in Langstane Place is trading.
Nox nightclub across the road in Justice Mill Lane has been closed permanently, while Paramount in Bon Accord Street remains shut due to the 10pm curfew currently in force.
Mr Wood, the eldest son of former oil tycoon Sir Ian Wood, said: “Since we started more than 17 years ago, I’ve lost count of the number of our young student staff who have gone on to become successful doctors, lawyers and entrepreneurs.
“Not only does a bar or restaurant job provide much-needed money for young Scots, it gives them the people skills and experience that are vital in building their careers.
“It will be heart-breaking if we are forced to make redundancies because the Government has shut us down again.
“Young people in Scotland will once again bear a disproportionate amount of the burden and, coming on top of all the issues that students and young people are facing already, this will be a step too far.”
But the national clinical director warned there was an economic cost to “doing nothing” too.
Mr Leitch claimed it was not a binary choice and putting off action would only mean “out of control numbers” in several weeks’ time, prompting even harsher measures.
He added: “If you were designing somewhere for the virus to spread, would it include a 3ft distancing exemption, poorer ventilation, more crowds, alcohol and a place where you could mix households?
“It’s harsh but yes, probably it would – and that’s what some hospitality looks like.
“So if I’m asked by the first minister where the risk is, I think it’s in people’s households and other places where households mix.
“And that of course leads you into a conversation about what you can do with hospitality.”
Facing calls from SHG to provide grants to impacted firms, Ms Sturgeon said she was “absolutely of the view” any financial impact of her government’s measures should be mitigated “to the best extent we can”.
But Scott Murray, managing director of Highland firm Cru Holdings, hit out at the holding back of information from the first minister, comparing yesterday’s briefing to a “Chris Tarrant routine”.
“You could have had lockdown, but we don’t want to give you that,” he deadpanned, referencing the former Who Wants To Be A Millionaire host.
But Mr Murray, whose firm owns seven venues in Inverness and The Classroom in Nairn, has warned the industry “cannot bear” much more.
“Human nature means people need interaction and the more you try to restrict meeting places, the more you drive people underground where it’s unregulated and unsafe,” he warned.
“Venues are highly regulated, held to a high level of safety – can you tell me of one person’s house with a sanitising station at the front door?”