Thirteen other local authority areas held in level two as rest of mainland drops to level one and islands will move to level zero
PUBS and restaurants in Glasgow will be able to serve alcohol indoors from Saturday, first minister Nicola Sturgeon has announced.
Speaking in the Scottish Parliament this afternoon (1st June), Sturgeon confirmed Glasgow City will move to level two from 00.01 on Saturday 5th June. Under level two restrictions, alcohol can be served indoors and premises can open until 10.30pm with up to six people from three households allowed to meet indoors, eight from eight able to meet outdoors, and up to 50 people allowed to attend weddings and funerals.
However, 13 other local authority areas (Edinburgh, Midlothian, Dundee, East Dunbartonshire, Renfrewshire, East Renfrewshire, North Ayrshire, South Ayrshire, East Ayrshire, North Lanarkshire, South Lanarkshire, Clackmannanshire and Stirling) are to be held in level two, rather than joining the rest of the mainland (Highland, Argyll & Bute, Aberdeen City, Aberdeenshire, Moray, Angus, Perth & Kinross, Falkirk, Fife, Inverclyde, East Lothian, West Lothian, West Dunbartonshire, Dumfries & Galloway, and Borders) in level one. Under level one restrictions, eight people from three households can meet indoors, 12 from 12 can meet outside, premises can open until 11pm, and up to 100 people can attend weddings and funerals.
The islands currently in level one will move to level zero from Saturday, meaning up to ten people from four households can meet indoors, 15 from 15 can meet outside, local licensing laws apply to trading times, and up to 200 people can attend weddings and funerals.
Sturgeon said Scotland is “currently at a delicate and fragile point in what we very much hope is a transition to a different way of dealing with this virus”.
“In summary, we do believe that vaccinations are opening a path to a less restrictive way of dealing with COVID – one that is less driven by case numbers,” she said.
“But because not all adults have been fully vaccinated with two doses to date, we are not quite there yet.”
Marc Crothall, chief executive of the Scottish Tourism Alliance, said the update will provide “a huge boost for many”.
“This will however be undoubtedly met with a degree of disappointment for those in the 14 local authority areas which will not move to level one at the same time, as so many had hoped would be the case in order to be able to trade in a more sustainable way,” said Crothall.
“We welcome the Scottish Government’s acknowledgement that many businesses are still not able to operate anywhere near viably, or at all as a result of continuing restrictions, with the announcement of the continuation of the Strategic Framework Fund, to which those businesses can apply; albeit for the majority, the amount of support on offer does not in any way cover the costs being incurred or compensate for the loss of revenues.”
Leon Thompson, executive director at UK Hospitality Scotland, said that although Glasgow operators will be “breathing a sigh of relief” and there was “good news” for those in areas preparing to move to levels one and zero, the delay in other areas moving to level one “begs the question of when they might be able to move”.
“An answer is important if businesses are to best plan for survival,” said Thompson.
“The hospitality sector remains fragile after more than 15 months of closure and severely disrupted trading. Whilst today’s announcement provides progress for some, businesses need to hear that the Scottish Government will provide meaningful levels of financial support to help them continue to trade and safeguard the jobs of their employees.”
