Local business owners have been giving their reaction as First Minister Nicola Sturgeon announced bars, restaurants and cafes can begin reopening on April 26.
Hospitality in Scotland will be permitted to reopen from late next month as the country makes its first steps out of coronavirus lockdown.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon announced to the Scottish Parliament today that businesses will be allowed to serve alcohol outdoors from April 26 with a limited service likely to be permitted indoors, although only for the sale of food without any alcoholic drinks allowed.
Ms Sturgeon said: “The hospitality sector will begin to reopen from April 26. From that date cafes, restaurants and bars will be able to serve people outdoors in groups of up to six from three households until 10pm, alcohol will be permitted and there will be no requirement for food to be served.
“We also hope that, although this in particular depends on continued suppression of the virus, that there will be limited indoor opening of hospitality from April 26, too, limited initially to the service of food and non-alcoholic drinks until 8pm and with groups of up to four people from no more than two households.
“Premises will need to retain guests’ contact details for three weeks after their visit.”
The first minister does not expect any further changes to be made after that period for three weeks until May 17 as she stressed a need for “careful monitoring”.
However, Ms Sturgeon stressed that, from May 17, she expects all areas in Level 3 to move to Level 2 with indoor hospitality returning to “greater normality”, but precise details will depend on how things have progressed in the intervening period.
The first minister added that there is also likely to be a requirement for people to book slots of, perhaps, two hours to visit premises selling alcohol.
Positive news
Glenn Roach, chef/director at Taypark House Hotel on Dundee’s Perth Road was delighted to hear that he can now start planning to reopen his venue.
“When the first announcement back in December came it was a very, very dark day and I think it really is now the light at the end of the tunnel. I think now it is all about looking for the positives and today’s announcement was definitely positive and gives us that date that we can work towards” he said.
“At least now we can start planning staffing-wise and whatever we want to do. Just a great day for the hospitality industry.”
Glenn has never actually had a normal day’s work at Taypark having taken the reins at the tail end of last year.
He revealed: “When we opened at Taypark on November 6 we were in Tier 3 so we have not sold one drop of alcohol which is quite unusual. Who would have thought that a hotel in Scotland would not have sold a drop of alcohol? You would think it was a myth.
“We have not been able to open properly, we have not been able to open past six o’clock, so now hopefully we can start opening properly and that it is what I am really excited for just being able to open sell alcohol, do dinner service and get back to what we love doing, creating great food and creating a great place at Taypark that everyone can enjoy.”
Stay cautious
However, he added that operators in the hospitality sector must remain on alert and attentive to safety as reopening begins.
He added: “I still think we have to cautious. I don’t think we can rest on our laurels. I don’t think we can be gung ho. We need to remain cautious, that’s not a bad thing, because who wants to go back into another lockdown.
“At Taypark going to make sure it’s bookings only, and our outside space as well will probably be two-hour bookings as well.
“It’s been tough the last few months and any positive news at the moment we can take some satisfaction. In hospitality, it’s been blow after blow after blow and this time it feels like it’s a little bit of a small win for the hospitality sector and in the last year they have been few and far between for hospitality.”
Dinner service at last
Vikki Wood who, along with her husband, Craig, runs The Wee Restaurant in North Queensferry, was pleased that they will be able to open for a dinner service, although would have preferred a longer opening time initially.
“It’s more positive that we will be able to have an evening service but, and this is something that I thought the last time, I think that if she let it go for a proper evening service 6pm to 10pm rather than until 8pm, I believe that is a safer way to do it because everyone in hospitality manages their bookings so not everyone comes in at the same time and not everyone leaves at the same time, not everyone leaves to go to the toilet at the same time. If you have a natural service, such as a dinner service, this is much easier.
“We normally open at 6pm but we will open at 5pm, then we are putting people in much quicker and everyone tends to want to all leave at 8pm, so we will have to manage that rather than it just naturally happening.
“And again I think there is more chance of people meeting each other than if someone is in at 6pm, someone is in at 6.15pm. I wish that she had allowed indoor dining to be 10pm as well, but as we have been in lockdown – or under some sort of restrictions – for almost a year now I’ll take it.
“I will take the 8pm rather than not have it. The difference to being able to make a profit is being able to open a dinner service and being able to serve alcohol. I think people will choose to go outside and have beer garden experiences rather than dine in if the weather is good anyway.”
Yardstick is key
But Vikki warned that the government should be ready for an increase in cases of Covid-19 as the country begins to open again – and not be panicked back into another lockdown situation.
“We need to start looking at how many people are vaccinated, how the elderly are. There is quite a high degree of protection now and I think we need to change how we look at things,” she said.
“It needs not to be case numbers per 100,000. I think it needs to be hospitalisation and deaths. We can still transmit it and as we get out and about a bit more cases will rise, but as long as people aren’t being hospitalised and people aren’t dying from it that’s brilliant. That is medical progress which I think we need to start thinking about more rather than cases per 100,000.
“I hope that we change our yardstick of how we measure it so we don’t suddenly take fear. As long as we are not overrunning the NHS, hospitalisations stay lower and deaths stay lower then that’s positive.”
Delighted
Julia Sim, head of sales at Blair Castle Estate, near Blair Atholl, said they were looking forward to being back open again next month.
“We were working towards opening our doors on the 26th of April and delighted that at this stage it looks like we will be able to do so,” she said.
“It has been a very challenging year in our industry and to be able to welcome people back to the castle, caravan park and estate is something we are very much looking forward to.
“We are also feeling positive after today’s announcement about our larger outdoor events that we hold throughout the summer and hope that these can also go ahead.”
Step in right direction
Rosie Jack of Bowhouse Market said they were looking forward to welcoming visitors with the return of holidaymakers, particularly welcome.
“The statement today was definitely a step in the right direction. We’ll continue with our Fife-focused (‘Stay Local’) Bowhouse market in April but on May 8 and May 9, we’re looking forward to welcoming visitors from outside the region and traders beyond Fife too” she said.
“Over the last year, we’ve seen our weekly online local shopping platform, Bowhouse Link, continue to grow and have even been able to expand deliveries to the Dundee area – it will be great to be able to welcome back those visitors from outside Fife to our market weekends in May.
“I think we’ll also notice the impact that the easing of travel restrictions will have on our markets as holidaymakers return to the East Neuk – Bowhouse and the wider community will certainly welcome this I’m sure.
“We’re also looking forward to hearing more detail on the easing of restrictions around events as we look forward to planning a new programme of activity around local food and drink at Bowhouse.”
Reduced turnover
Ruth Robinson of The Dory, Pittenweem, added: “Overall, we are glad to have somewhat firm dates. I am disappointed about the restrictions on alcohol and opening hours between April 26 and May 16 as we have no outside seating.
“We are therefore having to make a decision about opening with reduced turnover until May 17. The evidence that is behind these decisions on indoor seating in restaurants is still lacking so it is annoying to be penalised.”
And Craig Millar, of 16 West End, St Monans, said the lack of alcohol sales was very disappointing.
“So pretty much gearing towards May 17,” he said. “Not sure what the government’s thinking is with the no alcohol indoors and closing at 8pm but you can drink outside until 10pm: it’s just not viable for a restaurant.”
Welcome
Will Docker, of Balgove Larder, added: “Today’s announcement was better than I’d expected and we’re all looking forward to April 26.
“At Balgove Larder we’re really lucky to have the large, flexible outdoor seating areas that we can expand so the easing of restrictions around this are very welcome. It’s good news too that we’ll be able to welcome people back into the cafe and steak barn, albeit in a more restricted way until May.
“We’re really happy to see the lifting of travel restrictions between regions too – this means not only that our loyal day visitors can return from areas like Dundee – but that holidaymakers from further afield can visit the area again.
“I think the wider tourism economy from St Andrews and the surrounding area will very much welcome that. The devil is in the detail with so many of these changes so we’ll certainly be seeking advice from environmental health officers locally too – but broadly this is good news for our industry that has been so badly affected by the restrictions”
Stefano Pieraccini, director of the Seafood Ristorante in St Andrews, Fife, added: “I think it’s largely positive news that we’ve finally got an indicative reopening date to work towards, but an earlier announcement in line with England would have given the industry a better chance to prepare.
“Those businesses with outside space are clearly going to get a head start to serve alcohol with food, but that isn’t going to work for very businesses model.
“We now need to make some quick decisions about whether or not it’s viable for us to deliver an alfresco service to our St Andrews customers in the short term.”
‘Massively welcomed’
Marc Crothall, chief executive of the Scottish Tourism Alliance (STA) added: “The first minister’s announcement of an indicative timeline for the phased reopening of our tourism and hospitality sector will be massively welcomed by the sector today; it is the most positive news we have received in a long time.
“Today’s announcement will offer some very much needed light at the end of what has been the darkest tunnel for our industry.
“One of the biggest challenges for tourism businesses has been the restrictions around travel throughout the country which will be removed as of April 26 allowing all tourist accommodation, cafes and restaurants the opportunity to open, 50 guests to attend weddings and our tourist attractions and adventure operators to start operating again.
“The sector has been closed for the majority of the past year; every aspect of the route map announced this afternoon offers us a more solid pathway for securing and protecting jobs and the ability to plan for reopening in accordance with government guidelines, building consumer confidence that when visitors choose to return, it will be safe to do so.
“It’s absolutely critical that continued tailored financial support, by way of grants is made available to those who won’t be in a position to open and trade viably until we move into the much lower tiers; the up-front restart will be very welcomed to assist with that outlay.
“We of course acknowledge that these dates are provisional and we are committed to working in a safe and professional manner to minimise risk and ensure that our tourism industry can play a key part in the rebuild and recovery of Scotland’s economy.”
