Covid: Isle of Man pub trade calls for return of salary support

Geoff Joughin said pubs and bars were suffering as staff with Covid-19 self-isolate

Salary support for Manx hospitality workers is "now more essential than ever" after a steep rise in Covid-19 cases, the industry has said.

Bars and restaurants have been hit by reduced footfall and staff absences over the Christmas period as the Omicron coronavirus variant spreads.

Chairman of the Licensed Victuallers Association Geoff Joughin said it was "a desperate time" for the sector.

He has appealed to the government to bring back financial support schemes.

More than 4,000 people have tested positive for the virus since the government introduced new home testing rules on 22 December, with the majority of cases identified through lateral flow tests.

Last month, the government announced a £9m support package to give the sector "security" over winter, with grants of up to £3,000 available between December and March for those who have suffered a 25% downturn.

'Really struggling'

However, Mr Joughin, who owns the Albert Hotel in Douglas, has repeated a call from the sector for the government to reintroduce a salary support scheme, which closed to pubs and restaurants in May last year.

He said premises have had to open with reduced hours or stay closed as there were "just not enough staff to go around", with many isolating after contracting Covid-19.

The pub landlord said young workers in both hospitality and retail were "really struggling" and businesses needed financial help.

"When all the bills come in for the Christmas period, everything needs to be paid for, but there has been no money coming in in any quantity to pay for this," he added.

A spokeswoman for the Department for Enterprise said it continued to speak to the industry about the impact of the pandemic on staffing and customer habits, and how support is assisting during the current "challenging times".