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UK Hospitality Update 23rd Feb 2021
dunoonhotel • Feb 24, 2021
Update on easing of lockdown
The Prime Minister has delivered his statement to the House of
Commons outlining his roadmap out of lockdown for England, which
begins from 8 March. UKHospitality has issued a public comment on
the announcement, expressing our disappointment at the slow pace of
reopening and the urgent need for extra financial support.
While this update covers England only, we felt it would beneficial to
send to all members as it will have an impact on travel and tourism to
and from the devolved nations. The Prime Minister also clarified that
the devolved administrations have similar plans. Scottish Government is
expected to make an announcement tomorrow on its plans for removal of
restrictions. The Welsh Government set out their initial plans last week
and these are summarised here [4]
and we are continuing our
conversations with Welsh Government on this.
The aim of the roadmap will be to guide the Government “cautiously but
irreversibly” to lifting the lockdown. This approach will be led by
data, not deaths and all future measures are geared towards containing,
not eliminating the virus.
UKHospitality is combing through the detail of the roadmap which has
just been published and we will provide analysis of the detail and how
it will impact hospitality in due course. We are also in the process of
updating our FAQs which will be published in the coming days once we
receive clarity from Government on a number of areas. Until then, below
is a summary of the details we have so far.
FOUR TESTS & STEPS TO EASING LOCKDOWN
The Prime Minister has said there will be no Tier system for England –
it will be a national approach with the country being treated as a
single area.
THE TESTS
Before each step of restriction is eased, four tests must be met:
* The vaccine deployment programme continues successfully.
* Evidence shows vaccines are sufficiently effective in reducing
hospitalisations and deaths in those vaccinated.
* Infection rates do not risk a surge in hospitalisations which would
put unsustainable pressure on the NHS.
* The assessment of the risks is not fundamentally changed by new
variants.
Assuming the 4 tests are met, there will be four steps to lockdown
easing, with at least 5 weeks between each step – four weeks to
collect and assess data, and then a week for people and businesses to
prepare for the next step.
STEP ONE
8 March
* All schools and further education will reopen. Childcare and other
children’s activities can also restart.
* University students in England who need to take part in practical
teaching or access specialist facilities will also return.
* People can leave home for recreation as well as exercise and meet
with one person from another household.
* Care home residents in England will be able to nominate a single
named visitor who can come in for a regular visit.
29 March
* People will be able to meet outside including in private gardens,
subject to the rule of six, or provided no more than two households are
meeting. This has been confirmed as up to 6 people from 6 households,
and that two households can be more than six people.
* Outdoor sports facilities such as tennis or basketball courts and
open-air swimming pools can reopen and formally organised sports can
restart.
People should continue to work from home where they can, and people are
advised to continue to minimise travel wherever possible.
STEP TWO
From no earlier than 12 April
* Hospitality venues including pubs and restaurants will be able to
open for outdoor table service, with no requirement for a substantial
meal to be served alongside alcoholic drinks, and no curfew.
* Overnight stays away from home in England will be permitted and
self-contained accommodation can also reopen for individuals or
household groups only. We are seeking clarity on whether this can
include hotels with room service only but at present it does not likely.
* Non-essential retail, personal care premises such as hairdressers,
salons and close contact services, and indoor leisure facilities such as
gyms and spas (but not saunas and steam rooms) can reopen. We are
seeking clarity on how coffee shops – we currently expect them to be
open for outdoor hospitality but allow customers to order indoors
* The majority of outdoor settings and attractions can also reopen,
including zoos, theme parks, drive-in cinemas and drive-in performances
events.
* All indoor children’s activities will be allowed, including sport,
regardless of circumstances and up to 15 parents allowed. It is not
clear if this includes indoor play as this is lifted in Step Three. We
are seeking clarity on this.
* Public buildings such as libraries and community centres will
reopen.
STEP THREE
From no earlier than 17 May
* Indoor hospitality, with table service will open
* Remaining accommodation, such as hotels, hostels and B&Bs will open
* Most restrictions outdoors will be lifted, subject to a limit of 30
people
* Indoor entertainment, such as museums, cinemas and children’s play
areas can reopen
* Indoor leisure can resume – such as ten-pin bowling, escape rooms,
etc
* Adult indoor group sports and exercise classes can resume
* Some large indoor events, including conferences, theatre and concert
performances and sports events of up to 1,000 people or 50% of a
venue’s capacity, whichever is lower, and outdoor events with a
capacity of either 50% or 4,000 people, whichever is lower. There will
also be special provision for up to 10,000 people or 25% of total seated
capacity at large, outdoor seated venues where crowds can be safely
distributed.
* International travel will not resume before 17 May
STEP FOUR
From no earlier than 21 June
Remaining restrictions lifted:
* Remove all legal limits on social contact
* Social distancing and face coverings could be removed at this point
if the review (see below) proposes this
* Reopen the remaining closed settings, including nightclubs and
enable large events, including theatre performances, above the Step 3
capacity
* Remove all limits on weddings and other life events
* WFH guidance will be reviewed and offices to be allowed to reopen
fully, subject to review
GOVERNMENT REVIEWS
The Government’s Roadmap document outlines four crucial policy
reviews, the results of which will be used to inform different stages of
the reopening process. The reviews will:
* Look at whether “Covid status certificates”, essentially, having
a vaccine or a negative test result “test passports” can reduce
restrictions on social contact. This will be set out ahead of step 4.
Officials say it is not a foregone conclusion that these will be used.
* Pilot the impact of testing and reduced social distancing on events.
This will start in April.
* Look at how to facilitate more inbound and outbound travel as soon
as possible, given worries over new variants of Covid. It will report on
12 April, but international travel will not resume before 17 May at the
earliest.
* Review social distancing measures, such as the 1-metre-plus rule,
rules on face coverings and working from home. This will conclude before
step 4.
UKHOSPITALITY REACTON
We are disappointed that reopening for hospitality is so far down the
line. The Prime Minister stated that the reopening schedule is driven by
data, yet has dismissed all the data which points to hospitality being
relatively safe and linked to only a tiny number of cases.
We have called for a major package of financial support, that goes
beyond what was offered in January, to ensure hospitality can survive
what is hopefully the last lockdown. We are also pushing Government to
eliminate new costs that are due to hit, such as HMRC tax bills and loan
repayments – and the extension of the rent-related moratoria. This
should be alongside an extension of the VAT cut and business rates
holiday to be confirmed along with a targeted extension of the furlough
scheme.
NEXT STEPS
The Prime Minister held a televised press conference this evening at
7.00pm where he set out his plans to the public alongside Professors
Chris Whitty and Patrick Vallance.
For most of the rules, the Government will lay a statutory instrument, a
form of legislation, before 8 March and it will be debated and voted on
before the Easter recess.
Next week’s Budget (3rd March) will set out in more detail how the
Government will continue to support businesses and individuals as
England moves through the four-stage unlocking plan. UKHospitality is
campaigning to ensure our key asks are included in the Budget. We are
urging you and your teams to write your MP, if you have not done so
already, to gain support form your local MP. Given that we now know we
will be closed for longer it is imperative we put on as much pressure on
Government from all directions.
Click here to write to your MP [10]
It will be a struggle, but we now have a roadmap and we will do all we
can to ensure our industry can endure these last few steps and start to
rebuild with the right support in place.
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