Call for clarity on re-opening arrangements
Health Minister, Robin Swann, should put an end to ‘unnecessary speculation’ around potential additional restrictions on the hospitality industry and instead, outline what the safe re-opening of the sector will look like.
That was the message this week from Hospitality Ulster’s Colin Neill who was responding to recent suggestions from Mr Swann and the Chief Scientific Advisor, Professor Ian Young, that fresh measures might be necessary in coming weeks.
Unlicensed premises are set to re-open across Northern Ireland tomorrow (Friday) with those venues that sell alcohol due to follow suit in a week’s time (November 27). However, many operators are fearful that a decision to extend restrictions could be taken at the last minute.
Acknowledging that uncertainty, Mr Neill said that business owners were being put under ‘further unnecessary stress and anxiety’ by reports that re-opening arrangements could be changed:
‘It was announced last week that licensed premises would be kept closed for two additional weeks in line with the CMO’s original advice, however, we are now being told in the media to expect further restrictions in the coming weeks,’ he added. ‘Is it the case that a longer closure was planned, but is being implemented as a rolling two-week closure? The medical experts must clarify this and provide an urgent update on the path out of this rolling lockdown scenario.’
Mr Neill pointed out that hospitality venues had done everything they had been asked to do to secure their premises from the Coronavirus and called on the NI Executive to end the uncertainty by providing clarity for business owners and workers at the start of the crucial month of December:
‘The damage that would be done to businesses and livelihoods if the hospitality industry is denied the opportunity to reopen on the 27 November would be huge,’ he added. ‘It increasingly seems that little or no thought is given to the 65,0000 hospitality employees and the wider supply chain who will struggle to provide for their families this Christmas if reopening is pushed back. We continually hear proposals to close hospitality, but no realistic proposals to save the businesses and 65,000 jobs if lockdown continues.’
Hospitality Ulster has now written to the Health Minister seeking an urgent meeting.
