Trade bodies report figures showing pubs, restaurants and hospitality venues are COVID-secure, urging Government to remove 10pm curfew
Pub and hospitality trade bodies UKHospitality, the British Institute of Innkeeping and the British Beer & Pub Association have revealed today that just 1% of hospitality venues across the UK have been linked to NHS Test and Trace incidences (1).
The finding, from a survey of members of all three trade associations conducted by hospitality market research company CGA, showed respondents operating over 22,500 outlets across the UK collectively only reported 275 NHS Test and Trace contact incidences – the equivalent to 1% of all outlets surveyed.
Latest Public Health England data published also shows that hospitality was linked to just 2.7% of COVID-19 cases (2).
The trade bodies say the findings reiterate that pubs, restaurants and hospitality venues are COVID-secure.
They are now calling on the Government to consider removing the 10pm curfew on the sector, which SAGE has questioned as an effective way to combat the virus, and which is massively damaging hospitality trade in medium risk regions across the UK.
A spokesperson for the trade bodies, said:
“Just 1% of the 22,500 pubs, restaurants and hospitality venues we surveyed said they were linked by NHS Test and Trace to an incidence.
“Public Health England’s own data shows hospitality was most recently linked to just 2.7% of COVID-19 incidences.
“The evidence is clear that pubs, restaurants and hospitality venues are COVID-secure. Singling them out is simply illogical, counterproductive and grossly unfair.
“SAGE itself has called into question the effectiveness of the 10pm curfew and it is greatly harming our sector in medium risk areas. The Government must consider removing the curfew.”
Notes to editors
- According to survey of UKH, BII and BBPA members conducted in October by CGA
- https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/928766/Weekly_Flu_and_COVID-19_report_w43_FINAL.pdf
British Beer & Pub Association
The British Beer & Pub Association is the leading body representing Britain’s brewers and pub companies. The Association is more than a century old and was originally founded as the Brewers’ Society in 1904. Our members account for some 90 per cent of beer brewed in Britain today, and own around 20,000 of the nation’s pubs.
For further information, please contact:
Nick Lawrie, Digital Communications Manager: nlawrie@beerandpub.com, 07824 359 013
UKHospitality
UKHospitality is the trade body representing the UK’s hospitality sector, representing over 700 companies, operating around 70,000 venues in a sector that employs 3.2 million people.
The body speaks on behalf of a wide range of leisure and ‘out-of-home’ businesses, from FTSE 100 enterprises to niche groups and independent single-site operators – covering pubs, restaurants, hotels, nightclubs, contract catering, leisure parks, visitor attractions and coffee shops.
For further information, please contact:
Chris Banks, PR Manager, cbanks@ukhospitality.org.uk, 020 7404 7744
British Institute of Innkeeping
The BII is the leading independent licensee support organisation for individuals working in hospitality, with over 8,500 individual members running premises across the UK – predominantly tenanted, leased, managed and freehold pubs. The organisation provides expert helplines, online business support, and guidance on key industry issues, face-to-face networking opportunities and savings on a range of supply deals for its members.
For further information please contact:
Molly Davis, molly.davis@BII.ORG, 07539 377752
Press release from the BBPA, BII and UK Hospitality
For more information, see contact details above