A popular nightclub chain has insisted customers will not need vaccine passports if they want to party – even though they will be required by law from this week.
On Tuesday, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon confirmed a vaccine certification scheme will be introduced at venues classed as “higher risk” on Friday.
Late night venues and large-scale events will be covered by the laws, which mean people will have to show proof they have been fully vaccinated against Covid-19.
The UK Government abandoned plans for vaccine passports, but the Scottish Government is pressing ahead with the controversial scheme.
Similar measures have been introduced in other countries, such as France, while the Welsh government will also press ahead with its own certification system in the coming weeks.
‘Party continues as normal’
However, nightspot chain Club Tropicana – which has premises in both Aberdeen and Dundee – has insisted visitors “do not need” passports.
“The Scottish Government are adopting a ‘softly softly’ approach to the implementation of the vaccine passport rule to enter a nightclub,” the club said.
“For this reason, we will be continuing to operate as we have done since restrictions eased.
“You are not required to have a vaccine passport for entry to the venue, any checks we do will be visual only and there will be no scanning of vaccine passports.
“We do recommend that you get a copy of your vaccine passport, but in the meantime, the party continues as normal.”
‘Grace period’ for vaccine passports
Club Tropicana published its statement shortly before Ms Sturgeon gave a briefing to MSPs in Holyrood.
The First Minister announced there would be a “grace period” after the law becomes active on Friday, and it will not be enforced until October 18.
She also confirmed an app would go live later this week.
“The government remains of the view that a targeted certification scheme does have a part to play in driving vaccination rates up as high as possible and providing an additional layer of protection over the winter months, as we seek to achieve the potentially difficult task of keeping Covid under control while keeping our economy fully open,” she said.