Scottish Licensed Trade Association (SLTA) believes the Scottish Government’s five-tier local Covid restrictions for each of Scotland’s 32 local authorities does nothing to help the foodservice industry and will lead to “confusion and distress.”
The SLTA says that the new tier system, which comes into force in Novemebr, has been introduced without taking into consideration the concerns of the hospitality industry and will cause “utter devastation and sleepless nights for industry owners, operators and staff who will spend this weekend wondering if their businesses are going to be viable, if they are going to still have jobs and, indeed, if they will even still have a business.”
Foodservice outlets face anxious wait in Scotland, says SLTA
Paul Waterson, media spokesman for the SLTA, said: “The situation couldn’t get any worse and we are fielding calls from members who simply can’t take any more of this. They are deeply worried about the future and this will lead to further confusion and distress.
“It will cause utter devastation and sleepless nights for industry owners, operators and staff who will spend this weekend wondering if their businesses are going to be viable, if they are going to still have jobs and, indeed, if they will even still have a business.
A recent survey highlighted that nearly 40% of hospitality businesses were considering closure or business exit. In September, an SLTA survey of 600 on-trade premises highlighted that within the pub and bar sector, 12,500 jobs could go.
