The Scottish Government announced this afternoon its latest measures to limit the current increase in Covid-19 cases. The latest restrictions on various activities include the closure from 6pm on Friday 9th October of all licensed premises in 5 Health Board areas taking in the Central Belt for a period of 16 days.
Outwith the 5 restricted areas pubs and restaurants can open from 6am until 6pm. No alcohol can be served indoors.
The impact of these new restrictions on the beleaguered hospitality industry will be significant and those businesses which have survived this far will be anxiously awaiting the results of the consultation on distribution and limits of the promised £40million support package.
The further reduction in potential revenue added to the impending closure of the Government furlough scheme at the end of this month is likely to take many businesses to the point where they are no longer commercially viable. The standard concept of long term planning has vanished for the present time and the aim is simply to survive for the next weeks and months until circumstances change.
While the First Minister acknowledged the need to mitigate the financial impact of the end of the furlough scheme and the financial burden of the Job Support Scheme, further detail is needed to assess the full impact.
Employers in many sectors, including hospitality, are formulating strategies to reduce costs. One focus for employers is the potential for minimising staff costs. The process for reducing headcount can be achieved relatively quickly, depending upon the number of employees. Similarly there may now be a more pressing need to restructure the business or revisit property lease arrangements. One thing is clear: the time for taking action is now.
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