Coronavirus

Oct- 2020 -

23 October

Hospitality sales drop ‘nearly two thirds’ in Tier 3 areas

Hospitality sales dropped by nearly two thirds in the upper tiers of the government’s new Covid alert system, with Tier 3 areas suffering from an immediate drop in sales, according to CGA’s latest data. Pubs, bars and restaurants in ‘Very High’ tiers in England have seen their sales fall between…

22 October

Sunak extends Covid scheme to pay up to half of wages

Chancellor Rishi Sunak has announced increases to the Job Support Scheme, which will now see the government pay up to half of employees wages. As part of the updated scheme, employers will pay less and employees will work fewer hours to qualify, with the taxpayer subsidy now doubled. The increase…

22 October

17% of hospitality firms at ‘severe risk’ of insolvency

Some 17% of accommodation and food service companies are at a “severe risk” of insolvency, according to the latest Business Impact of Coronavirus (COVID-19) Survey (BICS) from the Office of National Statistics (ONS). The latest data covering the period 21 September to 4 October, shows that across all industries, 5%…

22 October

Scotland extends Covid hospitality closures for extra week

First minister Nicola Sturgeon has announced that Covid-19 restrictions, which saw the closure of pubs and restaurants in Scotland’s central belt and a 6pm hospitality curfew elsewhere, are to be extended until 2 November. The Scottish government is set to publish a tiered system of restrictions tomorrow (23 October), similar…

21 October

South Yorkshire to enter Tier three

South Yorkshire will be placed into the ‘very high’ alert level of Covid lockdown measures from Saturday (24 October), according to a statement by Dan Jarvis, Mayor of the Sheffield City Region. Pubs and restaurants must close unless they are serving substantial meals, while mixing with different households is forbidden…

21 October

Business lunches to go ahead following Covid ‘loophole’

Restaurants can serve guests from multiple households following a ‘loophole’ in covid-19 restrictions that allows business lunches to go ahead. According to The Telegraph, Downing Street and local authorities have confirmed that meetings inside restaurants are permitted so long as they are for “work purposes.” London eateries including Galvin La…

20 October

Manchester moved into Tier three

Prime minister Boris Johnson has announced that Manchester will be placed into Tier 3 Covid-19 restrictions, after talks between mayor Andy Burnham and the UK government collapsed. As a result of being placed under Tier 3, pubs and restaurants must close unless they are supplying substantial meals and outside household…

19 October

Wales announces ‘firebreak’ lockdown

The Welsh government has announced a two-week “firebreak” national lockdown, which will force business closures across the country from 23 October at 6pm until Monday 9 November. According to BBC News, first minister Mark Drakeford said the “time-limited firebreak” will be “a short, sharp, shock to turn back the clock,…

19 October

Katsu Kitchen shutters permanently due to Covid-19

Katsu Kitchen, a Japanese inspired restaurant in Moseley, Birmingham, has permanently closed its doors as a result of Covid-19. The company, which originally started out as a pop up vendor in August 2018, posted an online statement saying “we shall be closing indefinitely from Sunday 18 October, the pandemic has…

19 October

More than 750,000 hospitality jobs under threat without support

Over 750,000 jobs in the hospitality sector are under threat without government support, according to a survey carried out by leading trade associations. UKHospitality, the British Institute of Innkeeping and the British Beer & Pub Association found 76% of respondents were loss making before the government’s tier lockdown system was…