MUMBAI: The Prime Minister has set out the new restrictions that will come into force across the UK from Wednesday 3rd December.

It is clear that the Night Time Economy and hospitality sectors have been disproportionately and unfairly targeted with further restrictions with no substantiated scientific evidence that these measures will suppress transmission.

The sectors which have suffered horrendously since the start of the pandemic are bearing the burden so that other sectors are able to open during the festive period.

Public Health England has clearly stated that high levels of transmissions occur predominantly within households, care homes, workplaces and education yet the Government still considers the current strategy around hospitality, and restrictions within the sector to be relevant and proportionate to the levels of transmission.

Michael Kill, CEO of the Night Time Industries Association (NITA) says:

“The industry has been left angry and frustrated by the new restrictions set out by the Prime Minister today. This shows a complete lack of consideration and understanding of our sector.”
“This will have a catastrophic impact on thousands of businesses and jobs across the sector by the end of the year. For many business owners this is beyond ignorance. This is tantamount to systematically culling our industry with intent.”

“The Government has simply got this wrong. It is an appalling misjudgment. Our sector has worked incredibly hard alongside Government departments, to ensure that our businesses are ‘Covid Safe’, only to be hit again with unworkable restrictions that have no evidence base.

“We are being condemned to an excruciating financial hardship, until the Government can rally around a workable vaccine solution.”

“The Support from furlough is welcome. However, sadly many of these businesses will not survive to retain their staff and will suffer from a continuation of current extreme problems around cash fluidity, commercial rent debt and exit strategy.”

“We can’t help but feel that our industry is being sacrificed for other sectors to open during the festive period”’.