PUB and restaurant owners are furious that the “bombshell” social distancing policy indicates they must have 11 foot tables.
Scottish Hospitality Group has called new guidelines a “farce” and information from the Scottish Government has been “confusing”.
The sector had expected that when it reopened next Monday, there would be a 1 million (3 foot) social distancing between the tables.
The proposals say that people from different households must now observe social distancing at tables.
Concerns have been raised about the official charts floating around showing that tables must be at least 3.5 x 2 m to accommodate six.
People south of the border can now go to outdoor bars and restaurants, but must either adhere to the rule of six – that is, six people from many different households can now meet outside – or in a group of any size with no more than two households present. Tables have to be socially distant.
Carina Contini, co-owner of Cantini restaurants in Edinburgh, who is concerned about the instructions, said there is no restaurant company in the country that makes tables that are 3.5 m long.
READ MORE: Scotland’s night economy “on the verge of collapse” with “impending tsunami of unemployment”
The government said it had worked with industry and trade unions to ensure that its guidelines were “evidence-based, fair and ethical, clear and realistic”.
Stephen Montgomery, SHG spokesman and owner of the Townhead Hotel in Lockerbie, said there was confusion over what was required for hospitality due to the reopening in Scotland on April 26th.
He said the SHG is waiting for the Scottish government to clarify the rules on social distancing.
“The bombshell is that communication about it hasn’t been great,” he said. “The official document has raised fears that social distancing has been expanded because of the fact that there is a table showing a 3.5-meter table that is required for six people.” Nobody has a table this size. I need to put six tables together to accommodate six people from six different households. The whole panic is getting tables.
“People are scared now because we have six days to open up.
“We’re getting so desperate right now. It’s so confusing. The whole point is that it’s impractical and non-viable.”
It comes, as Scotland’s night industry said, it is “on the verge of collapse” with 24,000 jobs at risk in an “impending unemployment tsunsami” due to ongoing restrictions as the Covid lockdown eases.
READ MORE: The hospitality industry criticizes a Scottish government-sponsored study that casts doubt on whether bars can stop the transmission of Covid-19
The Night Time Industries Association (NTIA) has claimed that the majority of nighttime businesses could shut down permanently within weeks after the money used to pay vacation dues and fixed costs is used up.
There are concerns about rising debt and concerns about a lack of action to support bars, pubs, nightclubs, live music venues, festivals and businesses in their supply chain.
The official chart that the industry circulated
The NTIA said the Scottish government’s recent update to the strategic framework confirmed on Friday that companies will be subject to the “commercially unprofitable restriction system”, although funding will be withdrawn by the end of April.
Starting Monday, when the whole of Scotland moves to Level 3 restrictions, pubs and restaurants will be able to serve alcohol to groups of up to six people from six households outdoors until 10 p.m.
Groups of six people from two households can meet in a venue until 8 p.m., but alcohol cannot be served.
Ms. Contini said she was “very optimistic” until the new guidelines were released on Friday, which “makes it absolutely impossible to reopen them”.
“With the bookings we’ve already received, we have to call and say, ‘I’m sorry we can’t honor your booking because we can’t host that capacity,” she said.
Ms. Contini said she must also abandon suppliers and their employees.
She added, “It will be absolutely crippling for the sector.”
She said the rules were completely impractical.
“If I catered for six people at one table, I would have to have a table that is 3.5 meters long,” she said.
“Older couples who may be hard of hearing need to get FaceTime themselves at lunch because the distance is so far.
“These regulations are now more damaging and dangerous to our business than Covid itself.”
Linda Bauld, Professor of Public Health at the University of Edinburgh, said the guide was draft, adding, “I imagine the 1 million requirement between different household members is to provide extra protection, but the government must make up for additional damage right now. ”
The Scottish Government said the draft directive could be “amended to reflect stakeholder engagement, subject to comments received”.
A spokesperson added: “The physical distance requirement has been established for some time and companies are already following existing sectoral recommendations. The draft directive builds on this, but does not introduce significant changes.”
He added that this would help businesses “as safely as possible” open next week and gave advice on how business owners could calculate the maximum capacity on their premises.
Two weeks ago, the SHG, which represents 200 companies across Scotland, said legal action was planned if ministers did not improve trading hours, which are allowed under loose Covid-19 restrictions.
They feared pubs and restaurants were going to the wall right now, as current plans to ease the hospitality lockdown from April 26th are “unprofitable”.
The NTIA says the 10pm curfew was “devastating” for its members as most of the revenue is generated after that time.
A survey of NTIA members found that the average pandemic debt for each building or business was around £ 150,000 or more, and that businesses were facing an “impending cash flow crisis”.
Their research also found that less than a quarter of the premises had licensed outdoor space, with the vast majority of businesses being months behind on mortgage or rent payments.
According to NTIA, less than a third have been trading at sustainable levels at any point in the past year, and almost all of them cannot reopen or trade profitably as long as social distancing persists.
It is said that the cash reserves have been used up and further borrowing is no longer possible without a guaranteed opening date.
“Companies quickly run out of money to pay their fixed costs and vacation contributions,” said the NTIA.
“Corporate bankruptcies and mass job losses are now inevitable within weeks, unless the Scottish Government takes urgent action.
The survey also found that around 85% of night businesses say they won’t survive if social distancing and activity restrictions last for most of this year. 98% of businesses in the sector say the Scottish Government’s support is insufficient to ensure its survival.
The NTIA said it wrote to First Minister Nicola Sturgeon earlier this month, highlighting the issues and asking for immediate crisis talks. But it was said that it was “disappointing” that there was still no answer.