Bristol hospitality 'at the mercy' of NHS app until August

If someone gets their second dose just before or just after 16 August they'll have to wait for two weeks before they can enjoy the new freedoms

Hospitality workers have said they will be at the "mercy" of having to potentially self-isolate multiple times when restrictions end in England.

Plans to lift Covid rules are expected to go ahead after 19 July.

After 16 August those who are double-vaccinated will not have to self-isolate if they are in close contact of a positive case.

But, Joe Cussens said until his staff get their jabs, he could still have to close his pub at short notice.

Mr Cussens, the managing director of Bath Pub Company, said when restrictions are lifted his young staff will still "get pinged by the NHS Covid App left, right and centre".

"Most are at the back of the queue to get jabbed, so until then we're at the mercy of the NHS app," he said.

"We're going to have a staffing problem as August is a long way away."

Paul Kemp, the manager of Bristol pub and food venue Beerd, said he also feared his venue would suffer if his staff were not fully jabbed sooner.

He said: "Why the delay from now until then if people have already been double jabbed?"

Beerd, recently had to close because one staff member tested positive for Covid, putting the rest of the team into self-isolation.

"We'll be in a position until everyone on my team is double jabbed where we will be constantly opening and closing because they will still have to self-isolate for 10 days if they come into contact with somebody that has Covid, so that's no use to me," he said.

"I'll go out of business or go stir crazy."

Stephanie Wilder said she was happy to hear the government's announcement yesterday

Mrs Wilder's cafe recently had to close due to a staff member contracting Covid

Stephanie Wilder, the owner of Good Day Cafe in Bath, said her cafe had to shut down just before the announcement due to a staff member with Covid and others in close contact with them.

"We were relieved for the news but also gutted that we have to close down for ten days," she said.

"To be honest, I'm not anxious.

"We will lift our rule of six and will keep our outside table service area."

Mr Murphy from BARBI said his local council should invest money into its hospitality sector as restrictions are lifted

Brendan Murphy, the founder of British Association of Restaurants, Bars & Independents (BARBI) Bristol, said: "We did some polls this morning and 50% of venues wanted to open with no restrictions and the other half said they may remain extra vigilant.

"There's no support for venues financially currently and that's a big fear and we would ask if Bristol City Council could make a long term investment into the hospitality industry in the city as they do with their other projects."