Some 200 Scottish pubs have been lost forever due to the coronavirus crisis, a hospitality group has warned.
The estimate was made by the Scottish Beer & Pub Association in a report that seeks to show the devastation to pubs and brewers one year on from the first Covid-19 lockdown.
It comes as groups have outlined their roadmap to save pubs and restaurants as one said some 200 Scottish pubs have been lost forever due to the coronavirus crisis.
The SBPA reiterateD that government must ensure pubs can operate without restrictions as soon as possible.
It means that as many as one in 14 Scottish pubs have shut down during the various Covid lockdowns.
In 2018, according to official data, there were 2,845 pubs in Scotland.
The SBPA says that 210 million pints in beer sales have been lost due to a full year of either forced closure, or trading under severe restrictions, and £820 million in trade value hvae been wiped out from the sector in beer sales alone.
The group says that since the first lockdown in March 2020, pubs and other hospitality businesses have been amongst the hardest hit.
They say they have also faced severe restrictions to their trade during other periods of being “open”, including level restrictions that ultimately forced many to stay shut or open but under conditions that made their trade unviable due to the closing times and other rules.
The SBPA has now urged the Scottish Government to give the sector hope by aligning closely to the unlocking plans in England, which indicate that pubs will reopen outdoors from April 12, followed by indoors from May 17 and with all restrictions lifted by June 21.
Emma McClarkin, chief executive of the Scottish Beer & Pub Association, said: “Our sector has been devastated by COVID-19 and the lockdowns. It has been a year to forget for the Scotland’s pubs and bars.
“It is estimated that 200 pubs have been lost forever. 210 million pints in beer sales have also been missed, wiping out £820 million in trade value from the sector.
“Sadly, we still haven’t seen the full extent of the damage yet and won't do for some time until things really do go back to normal. And by normal, I mean a return to what life was like pre-covid.
“Whilst we continue to assess the full damage to our sector, I urge the First Minister to give our businesses the hope that they desperately need by providing a viable route out of lockdown tomorrow. The previously levels were entirely unviable for the majority of hospitality businesses, and they are desperately hoping for a more straight-forward approach to unlocking this time.
“We also hope the Scottish Government will look at providing more support for our wet-led community pubs who, although grateful for all the support they received, will not benefit from the VAT cut to food in the same way restaurants will. Local wet-led pubs have been amongst the worst affected by the virus so it's important the Government goes that little bit further for them.
“It is becoming all the clearer that the Government must ensure all our pubs are fully re-opened as early as safely possible. This is when their recovery will really start and until then we stand to lose more pubs and community assets.”
It comes as leaders of the UK’s major hospitality trade bodies proposed a new route out of lockdown for Scotland which could save over 60,000 jobs.
In a set of proposals submitted to the government, the Scottish Hospitality Group, UK Hospitality Scotland, Scottish Licensed Trade Association, tje Night Time Industries Association and the Scottish Beer & Pub Association have set out a set of small changes to Scotland’s lockdown lift that they say will avoid catastrophic business failure across the sector.
The industry says the rules they propose, which would apply in level three areas, would save over 60,000 jobs and contribute more than £1.2bn to the economy in the short-term by altering the levels in the Strategic Framework.
The organisations representing the industry are urging ministers to mirror the reopening plans for England as closely as possible, which would see them do away with additional restrictions, such as a curfew and serving alcohol only with a meal.
Under the current Strategic Framework’for Scotland, a Level 3 lockdown in Scotland allows restaurants, cafes, pubs and bars to open only for the consumption of food and non-alcoholic drinks.
Not only are alcoholic drinks banned, but last entry is 5pm and all venues must be closed and with customers off the premises by 6pm.
The industry has outlined the rules it wants to see changed in the Scottish Government's lockdown exit plan for level three which include alcohol only with a mea, a last entry at 8.30pm, two-hour time slot, closing at 10.30pm, seated consumption only and no queuing for indoors or outdoors
Research commissioned by the groups from economic consulants, BiGGAR Economics, has shown that under the current Level 3 restrictions, 54% of hospitality businesses could be operating, which generates a turnover of £269 million and supports 21,900 jobs.
If the government was to open with a proposed altered Level 3 – 73% of businesses could be operating, generating a turnover of £927 million and supporting 53,300 jobs.
Graeme Blackett, director of BiGGAR Economics, explained, “This study highlights the severe negative economic impact that the COVID-19 lockdown has had on the hospitality sector, the businesses and people who work in the sector itself, and in the supply chain.”
He added, “It also demonstrates that the changes to the restrictions in the level system that the hospitality sector has proposed, can place the hospitality sector and the wider food and drink supply chain in a much stronger position.
"Adjustments to the restrictions could get thousands of people back to work and allow the sector to generate turnover and contribute significantly to the public finances in the coming weeks and months.”
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