Covid-19: Jersey's hospitality sector paid £40m under payroll scheme

Pubs, bars and restaurants were forced to close for nearly three months from December as part of the island's circuit-breaker

The hospitality sector has received the largest share of Jersey's payroll scheme over the course of the pandemic.

More than £40m was paid to hotels, restaurants and bars between April 2020 and May 2021, Statistics Jersey said.

Since the start of the pandemic, nearly £131m has been paid across all eligible sectors in the island.

The co-funded payroll scheme was launched by the government in March 2020 to support businesses affected by covid restrictions.

Construction and quarrying were given the second highest sum at just under £22m since April 2020.

Nightclubs were told they would not be able to reopen until at least August on Tuesday as the relaxation of restrictions was delayed due to a surge in coronavirus cases.

Five phases of the payroll scheme have offered different levels of support to cover employees' wages across industries including retail, agriculture, education and the self-employed.

The latest figures for March showed 2,390 jobs in hospitality continued to be supported by the payroll scheme, the largest number among all sectors.

In December Jersey entered a hospitality circuit-breaker, which saw pubs, bars and restaurants close for nearly three months.

The closure of Jersey's borders to non-essential travellers in March 2020, and continued travel restrictions, has limited the number of tourists coming to the island.

The Visitor Accommodation Scheme, which pays up to 80% of a holiday lets' fixed costs, has paid out nearly £5.5m since it launched in October last year.

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