Aberdeen City and Shire Hotels Association has criticised the latest Covid-19 restrictions, warning it places their members in the “direct firing line of financial loss”.
In a statement, chairman Frank Whitaker said the half-term break covered by the 16-day “circuit breaker” had been the last chance for hotels to generate income this year.
He states: “The summer season has gone, the corporate autumn months don’t exist because there is no business travel, conference and event revenue is non-existent and Christmas celebrations won’t take place.
“Hotel business[es] face a bleak outlook until next summer at the earliest.”
It warns that the £40million support scheme announced by the government in tandem with the restrictions “looks like a good number”, comparing the amount to the £900,000 provided to Aberdeen for businesses affected by the local lockdown in August.
However, the statement expresses concern that the details of who can apply for the cash and how has not been revealed, and “the fear is that once all who can apply for support do so, there will be not enough per individual business to be meaningful”.
ACSHA argues that focus should be placed on ensuring businesses operate safely, saying to not do so would be to risk further “circuit breaker” restrictions in the future.
It warns that more restrictions of that type would mean “more talented colleagues will join the ranks of so many good people who have regrettably been made redundant”, and “hotels will run out of cash, businesses will close, communities will be damaged, and livelihoods destroyed”.
It concludes: “There will be irreparable damage to the region’s ability to welcome commercial and leisure travellers to what has developed into a superb destination, undoing all the incredible work of Team Aberdeen.”