TRADE groups the Scottish Tourism Alliance (STA) and UK Hospitality have written to first minister Nicola Sturgeon to request an urgent call to discuss the “wave of challenges” facing hospitality businesses in Glasgow after the city was kept in level three of restrictions.
Glasgow had been due to move down to level two of coronavirus restrictions today (17th May) along with the rest of mainland Scotland, with the exception of Moray.
However, late on Friday afternoon Sturgeon announced the city would remain in level three of restrictions – where the sale of alcohol is prohibited indoors – for at least another week.
Clinical director Jason Leitch has since indicated the restrictions may be extended beyond this week.
In a letter to the first minister STA chief executive, Marc Crothall, and Leon Thompson, executive director of UK Hospitality Scotland, highlighted the various issued faced by businesses in the city which had been preparing for restrictions to ease, from wasted produce and cancelled bookings to the impact on mental health.
It also states that the £750 grant promised to businesses in the city “is some way from what would be required to stabilise those businesses over the coming days and potentially weeks to protect employment within the sector”.
The letter requested an “urgent call” with the first minister “to discuss the immediate concerns on behalf of tourism and hospitality businesses in Glasgow and the wider industry in other parts of Scotland”.
