'Non-stop cancellations' after Christmas party plea
- Published
The Chester Hotel in Aberdeen has seen 900 cancellations in 48 hours
Hospitality venues in Scotland say they have had "non-stop cancellations" since people were urged to cancel Christmas parties.
Public Health Scotland released the advice on Thursday evening due to the number of Omicron outbreaks.
The first minister said at her briefing on Friday that she agreed with the public health advice.
However Stephen Montgomery, from the Scottish Hospitality Group, said it was a "heavy blow" to the industry.
In one case a hotel in Aberdeen told the BBC that it had 900 cancellations in 48 hours - one event had 263 guests drop to 18 overnight.
They have had 3,000 portions of turkey on order for months and a fully stocked bar. They are now worried much of that could go to waste.
Speaking to the BBC's Good Morning Scotland programme, Mr Montgomery said hospitality had been dealt a "heavy blow at a time when we take 30% of our turnover".
He said: "We weren't seeing many cancellations even whenever the new variant raised its head - a few but not many.
"But last night from the PHS statement coming out it was just non-stop. Personally I've been up until about 02:30 this morning answering emails, getting back to customers, members and general people who are asking what was happening."
At a briefing on Friday Nicola Sturgeon announced there would be tighter rules around isolating due to the "significant risk" posed by Omicron.
She warned of a "tsunami" of cases and said large gatherings including Christmas parties were becoming "super spreaders".
"If that happens lots of people get infected and if these are work events, as well as the risk to individual health there is a risk to the ability of the workplace to operate as people isolate," she said.
"So the public health advice, which I have no alternative but to agree with given the evidence of risk, is that we should all think a bit more carefully about unnecessary contacts in crowded places just now, that it would be sensible to defer work Christmas parties."
Ms Sturgeon said she knew this would have a big impact on businesses and she was pressing the UK government on financial support.
Analysis: The problem with Christmas parties being a grey area
By Connor Gillies, consumer affairs correspondent
This is a difficult one for both business and consumer. There is no law to stop Christmas parties or office get togethers. This is advice.
The key word is "defer". Public health officials have avoided specifically urging us to cancel our Christmas parties. Nevertheless, many people have jumped in to making decisions amid the Omicron threat.
One business owner told me they were at their "wits end" and had been inundated with cancellations.
It will be very difficult for people to get deposits back for gatherings which are now cancelled. It's a grey area. Businesses will have bought huge amounts of food and alcohol in preparation for this big festive rush. They feel this advice has dented consumer confidence.
The law is much clearer if an organised event, like a panto or show, is cancelled. Consumers would be entitled to a refund.
We're told "if it feels like a party, then it probably is a party". The onus is on us to decide.
Stephen Gow, manager of The Chester Hotel in Aberdeen, said that when he left work on Thursday, one of the hotel's Christmas parties was due to have 263 guests - by 10:00 on Friday the number had dropped to 18.
In some cases, he said guests were "demanding" deposits back and that cancellations would impact the entire supply chain.
He said: "The hospitality sector plans well in advance for Christmas and especially so this year when there have been messages about turkey and champagne shortages.
"We've had 3,000 portions of turkey on order for months; and that order is just for our banqueting events, not for our restaurant bookings. We have a fully stocked bar with kegs of beer which all have sell by dates.
"Our regular band is paid for their residency at our party nights. Our staff are all rota-ed for this weekend. The costs of these cancellations are considerable and for some businesses they will be overwhelming."
Finance Secretary Kate Forbes told the BBC that the Scottish government had placed another request for financial assistance for businesses to the UK government on Thursday.
She said: "I'm extremely sympathetic to concerns form hospitality. I've said I will do anything I can to provide assistance.
"But also within a fixed budget that does need to come from the UK government. If that funding can be made available I will do my level best to get it out the door as quickly as possible."
- Published9 December 2021
- Published1 July 2022
