Hospitality bosses have warned a 16-day indoor booze ban ordered up as part of a sobering array of new measures to tackle coronavirus will be a “death sentence” for many businesses across Scotland.
Nicola Sturgeon has announced all licensed premises will be prohibited from serving alcohol indoors and all hospitality venues will be subject to an indoor curfew of 6pm from Friday until October 25.
Pubs, bars, restaurants and cafes will be able to continue serving alcohol outdoors up to the existing curfew time of 10pm and hotel restaurants will be allowed to operate beyond 6pm but only for residents and without alcohol.
Around 3.4 million people living in central Scotland will be subject to even tougher restrictions, with all pubs and restaurants ordered to close entirely until further notice.
There will, however, be exemptions to the rules – in all parts of the country – for services linked to specific life events, such as wedding that are already booked and funerals.
In a statement to the Scottish Parliament, as daily coronavirus cases in Scotland surged past 1,000 for the first time, the first minister said the “vast majority” of pubs and restaurants had worked hard to ensure the safety of their staff and customers.
But she added: “Indoor environments, where different households from different age groups can mix, inevitably present a risk of transmission.
“That risk can be increased in some hospitality premises if good ventilation is difficult, and if it is hard to control the movement of people. The presence of alcohol can, of course, affect people’s willingness to physically distance.”
Ms Sturgeon announced new regulations to extend the mandatory use of face coverings in indoor communal settings, including staff canteens and corridors in workplaces.
And shops and supermarkets will be asked from this weekend to return to two-metre physical distancing and reintroduce one-way systems.
The announcement was met with despair from Scotland’s licensed trade, with Stephen Montgomery, spokesman for the Scottish Hospitality Group, warning it could be catastrophic for the sector.
He said: “The first minister has effectively signed a death sentence for many businesses across the Scottish hospitality industry, while the real problem is socialising at home.
“We have repeatedly implemented the safety measures required by the government, and more, to protect our customers and staff.
“We are part of the solution to combat this virus, not part of the problem. This latest blow from the Scottish Government will create fear and anger across our industry.”
Mr Montgomery said the measures would put a “crippling stranglehold” on many pubs and restaurants and warned they may not survive the winter. He renewed calls for scientific evidence behind the measures to be published.
This call was echoed in the chamber by Scottish Labour leader Richard Leonard, who said the sector “is not Sodom and Gomorrah and should not be treated as such”.
“Why doesn’t the first minister consider closing down those businesses which are not complying with guidance, instead of shutting down every single business, serving 70% of the population, including those which are fully complying?” Mr Leonard asked.
“Where is the evidence that Covid is spreading in all hospitality settings to warrant a blanket ban on all of these establishments?”
Meanwhile, Joe Crawford, director for Scotland at the Campaign for Real Ale, said the announcement was “absolutely devastating news for pubs and breweries” and warned thousands of premises could close for good by Christmas.
Ms Sturgeon acknowledged the new measures would be disruptive and unwelcome to many but pledged support for the firms hardest hit.
“I know that the measures we are proposing today will have a significant impact on many businesses,” the SNP leader said. “And since the Government is placing an obligation on businesses, we also have an obligation to help businesses.
“I can announce that we are making available an additional £40 million to support businesses that will be affected by these measures over the next two weeks.
“We will work with the affected sectors – especially hospitality – in the coming days to ensure that this money provides the most help to those who most need it.”
However, the Scottish Beer and Pub Association said the £40 million is unlikely to have a large impact and warned thousands of jobs are now at high risk, not just in the pub and hospitality sector but across the wider supply chain.
CEO Emma McClarkin said the restrictions would “deliver a knockout blow for many of Scotland’s much-loved pubs and the communities they serve”.
“The financial support on offer is of course welcome, but it does not go nearly far enough,” she said.
“For the majority of premises, the available funds will not even come close to covering the required furlough contributions for the period, never mind ongoing costs and stock.
“We need to review the financial support on offer and work with government to protect as many pubs, jobs and livelihoods as possible.”
Ruth Davidson, the Scottish Conservatives’ leader at Holyrood, said owners “deserve better” and should have been consulted in advance of the announcement.
“A one-day consultation after today’s announcement – and just hours before businesses are forced to close their doors – is just not good enough,” she said. “These businesses deserve better.
“They need to know how much they can apply for, when they can apply for it and how long they will have to wait before support reaches them. Those answers could have been provided but Nicola Sturgeon failed to do that.”
It came as official figures released by the Scottish Government on Wednesday indicated 1,054 new cases had been registered overnight – 13% of people newly tested.
One death had been recorded in the previous 24 hours, taking the total under this measure – patients who died within 28 days of first testing positive – to 2,533.
There were 319 people in hospital confirmed to have the virus, up by 57 in 24 hours. Of those patients, 28 were in intensive care – an increase of three.
In full: The measures being rolled out across Scotland
Nationwide (excepting central belt areas):
- All hospitality premises may only open indoors between 6am and 6pm, with no sales of alcohol.
- Premises may open outdoors until 10pm, with sales of alcohol (where licensed).
- Takeaways (including from pubs and restaurants) can continue.
- Evening meals may be served in accommodation for residents only but no alcohol can be served.
- Current meeting rules, maximum of six people from two households, continue to apply.
- Specific life events, such as weddings and funerals, may continue with alcohol being served, with current meeting rules for these events (20-person limit in regulated premises only).
Central belt area focusing on five health boards (Ayrshire and Arran; Forth Valley; Greater Glasgow and Clyde; Lanarkshire; Lothian):
- All licensed premises will be required to close, with the exception of takeaway services.
- Cafés (unlicensed premises) which don’t have an alcohol licence will be able to open between 6am and 6pm.
- Evening meals may be served in accommodation for residents only but no alcohol can be served.
- Specific life events, such as weddings and funerals, may continue with alcohol being served, with current meeting rules for these events (20-person limit in regulated premises only).
- No group exercise classes for indoor gyms and sports courts, pools with an exemption for under-18s.
- No adult (18+) contact sports or training, except professional sports, indoor or outdoor.
- No outdoor live events.
- Snooker/pool halls, indoor bowling, casinos and bingo halls are to close.
- Public transport use should be minimised as much as possible, such as for education and work, where it cannot be done from home.
- Current meeting rules, maximum of six people from two households, continue to apply.