Covid in Scotland: Hospitality calls for faster reopening
- Published
Pubs are not expected to reopen in Scotland until 26 April
Hospitality and tourism leaders have criticised the Covid restrictions which prevent the sectors' reopening.
They were speaking as England's lockdown rules eased further, with pub gardens and restaurants among the places able to reopen.
Waiting two weeks before reopening will come at a cost to Scotland's economy of £20 million, they warned.
Representatives of the sectors agreed that public health had to be a priority but insisted they were safe to reopen.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has linked the decision to "significantly" ease restrictions to the rollout of the Covid vaccine.
With everyone in all nine priority groups expected to have received their first jab by mid-April, she said the government would have "confidence" to begin opening up hospitality from 26 April.
One publican in Dumfries and Galloway said he expected people would travel to England to visit hospitality venues there.
It is currently against the law to travel across the border except for essential reasons. , external
Stephen Montgomery, who owns the Townhead Hotel in Lockerbie and is a spokesman for the Scottish Hospitality Group, said he would "love to be opening up at the same time as our colleagues down south".
"We're going to be seeing people jump the border... for that long awaited pint of cold beer while we still remain closed," he told BBC Radio's Good Morning Scotland.
"Scotland's always been behind in the way we've been operating for the last year. So it's going to be no different this time.
"We are at a disadvantage."
Beer gardens have reopened south of the border
He also said the rules were not being made clear far enough in advance.
On the next review date of 20 April, it will be decided if hospitality venues are allowed to open up inside from 26 April, and what the restrictions will be.
"We haven't got the regulations and we're less than two weeks to opening here," Mr Montgomery said.
"We've had this all year where our guidance has been last minute, and that cannot go on.
"Business operators and suppliers... need advance warning."
Mr Montgomery runs The Townhead Hotel in Lockerbie
Fiona Campbell, the chief executive of the Association of Scotland's Self Caterers, said she was concerned that uncertainty about the rules would lead to prospective customers taking their business elsewhere.
"It's really difficult to deal with... seeing people literally across the border opening up. Our colleagues down south have been able to but we're not able to," she said.
She added that research commissioned by the sector last year suggested that opening two weeks late represented a £20m loss to the Scottish economy.
Ms Campbell acknowledged that public health had to be protected, but said some businesses - including self-catering accommodation - could safely reopen.
She added that a lack of clarity over when certain restrictions - like how many households could share self-catering accommodation - were difficult to explain to prospective customers.
What restrictions will change next?
Scotland's lockdown is expected to ease further from 26 April, with the Scottish government expected to give more details on how this will happen in the weeks ahead.
This will bring a return to the "levels" system of local restrictions, with the whole country in level three "if the data allows".
Cafes, pubs and restaurants are expected to be allowed to open until 20:00 indoors (although no alcohol will be permitted) and 22:00 outdoors (alcohol permitted).
Shops and gyms are also due to open, and more people will be allowed to meet up outdoors.
