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The Scottish Government has said it will contact nightclubs across Scotland this week and invite them to apply for a grant of up to £55,000.

Changes to the COVID self-isolation rules in Scotland which kick in today (6th January) have been welcomed by hospitality industry groups, which say the measures will help ease staffing pressures for those venues able to trade.

The self-isolation period for those who test positive for COVID in Scotland can be cut to seven days from midnight tonight (5th January) – providing that person has no fever and records two negative lateral flow tests (LFTs), first minister Nicola Sturgeon has announced.

Nightclubs are to close from 27th December for at least three weeks, the Scottish Government has announced.

Grants of up to £6800 for bars, restaurants and nightclubs have been announced by first minister Nicola Sturgeon as she again advised the public to minimise socialising and confirmed table service and physical distancing measures will come in on 27th December. 

The first minister has urged the general public to “minimise” their socialising with other households before and after Christmas in order to slow the spread of the new Omicron variant of COVID-19.

The Scottish Government has drawn fire for encouraging people to cancel Christmas parties – or at least defer them until the new year – without offering any support to affected businesses.

Trade groups have hit out at the Scottish Government’s decision to resume business rates bills for hospitality businesses from April 2022.

Hospitality businesses will receive 50% rates relief for the first three months of the 2022/23 tax year, the Scottish finance secretary has announced.

Premises operating under the Scottish Government’s vaccine passport scheme are able to accept proof of a negative lateral flow test as an alternative to proof of vaccination from today (6th December).