Edinburgh pub worker calls on hospitality staff to join a union
Commenting on the re-opening of indoors hospitality, Roz Foyer, General Secretary of the STUC has reminded employers that workers are preparing to resist detrimental changes to contracts and conditions associated with the safe return to work.
Roz Foyer said: “Indoor hospitality re-opening safely depends on changes to working conditions. But these must not be allowed to come at a cost to workers.
“Workers are the heart of hospitality, but for too long employers have been able to pass the unstable condition of the industry onto their staff.
“We will not forget the businesses who refused to furlough their staff during this pandemic, and who have treated workers callously with attempts to make them sign away their terms and conditions in order to ringfence profit or prevent unexpected costs.
“From cafes like Coias in Dennistoun to cinema chains like Cineworld, workers have come together to win their demands in the return to work period.
“If you are asked to work differently or to sign a new contract, don’t accept, delay, and work out with your colleagues whether you are happy with the proposal. Then join a union and take action.”
Matthew Waddell, 19, who returned to work at the Diggers pub yesterday, urged workers to be prepared to resist the prospect of changes to work and conditions.
He said: “The incoming economic crisis should be a call to all workers to join unions, unionise their workplaces and make sure those unions are active.
“The precarious nature of hospitality work and the effect a COVID recession will have on it makes unionisation all the more urgent.
“The Better Than Zero campaign against precarious work is on hand to give guidance and support for hospitality workers and any other workers who do not have unions.”
Updated guidance on managing the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has been published.
As restrictions ease, the way Scotland deals with COVID-19 is now shifting from containing the virus nationally through lockdown to monitoring and responding to localised outbreaks wherever and whenever they occur.
COVID-19: Surveillance and Responsesets out how existing planning arrangements and guidance will be applied to continue to suppress the virus at a national and local level including the timely and co-ordinated sharing of data between key organisations including local health professionals, local authorities and other local responders.
The publication is accompanied by updated Public Health Scotland guidance on the management of public health incidents to reflect the new COVID-19 legislation.
NHS Scotland’s Test and Protect programme will continue to play a significant role in the ability to monitor the ongoing impact of COVID-19 within communities across Scotland.
Deputy First Minister John Swinney said: “As we move into the next phase on easing lockdown restrictions we know that our response to the pandemic also needs to adapt. Monitoring the virus and taking action to suppress transmission is increasingly important.
“Scotland has a world class public health system and our surveillance and response approach, along with NHS Scotland’s Test and Protect programme and local resilience services, will enable us to respond rapidly and collaboratively to any incident or outbreak at a local, regional and a national level.
“Of course, we all need to continue to play our part to reduce the risk of the virus spreading through physical distancing, good hand and respiratory hygiene and the appropriate use of face coverings.
“Though the transmission of the virus in the community is now at much lower levels, we must still ensure that where clusters of cases develop, we find them and act quickly to prevent further spread.
“The rapid and targeted response to the cluster in Dumfries and Galloway by services at both a local and national level demonstrated that Scotland has a well developed and tested approach to the management of public health outbreaks.
“We must all remain vigilant and our surveillance and response approach will ensure that we are ready to react to what lies ahead.”
Statement given by the First Minister Nicola Sturgeon at the media briefing in St Andrew’s House yesterday (Tuesday 14 July):
Good afternoon, and welcome to today’s briefing. I want to start by providing my usual update on the most recent Covid-19 statistics for Scotland.
An additional three positive cases were confirmed yesterday – that takes the total now in Scotland to 18,368.
A total of 616 patients are currently in hospital with the virus – either confirmed or suspected. That is 67 more than yesterday, and it includes a reduction of eight in the number of confirmed cases.
A total of 12 people last night were in intensive care with confirmed or suspected Covid-19. That is six more than yesterday, but the increase is all in suspected cases. As of now, although these things are always subject to change, there are only two patients in ICU in the whole of Scotland with confirmed Covid .
And since 5 March, a total of 4,131 patients who had tested positive for Covid-19 have been able to leave hospital.
I am glad to say that during the last 24 hours, no deaths were registered of a patient confirmed through a test as having Covid-19. The total number of deaths, under this particular measure, therefore remains 2,490.
Today is the sixth day in a row in which zero deaths have been registered. It is also the first Monday when no deaths have been registered since 10 March, which as you know is before lockdown started.
Tomorrow, of course, National Records of Scotland will publish their weekly report on Covid deaths, which uses a broader measurement than our daily figures.
And even as the daily numbers of Covid deaths decline to very low levels, it is still important to remember the overall impact the virus has had. My thoughts, once again, are with everyone who is grieving the loss of a loved one.
In addition, as I always do, I want to thank our health and care workers. The entire country is grateful to you for everything you do.
That of course, includes the care home staff who do us the honour of coming to Scotland from overseas to work here – including the 6-8% of our care home workers who come from other countries within the EU.
In my view, it is essential that care home workers are included in any scheme for post- Brexit work visas. The Scottish Government will continue to make strong representations on that point to the UK Government.
I also want to pay tribute today to staff in local authorities across the country. During this pandemic, council workers have continued to deliver essential services in very difficult conditions.
They have also worked closely with Scottish Government on vital issues such as housing homeless people, paying business grants, providing education hubs, and much, much more. In doing so, they have protected vulnerable people, and provided help for those who need it. That effort has been – and continues to be – hugely appreciated.
The Cabinet Secretary for Health will speak in a few minutes about our new “Right Care, Right Place” campaign, which encourages you to get help and treatment from the most suitable source.
That could be from the NHS inform website, your community pharmacy, your GP – or a minor injuries unit or even accident and emergency. Then the CNO will say a few further words about face coverings.
Before then I have two issues I want to update you on. As you know, tomorrow, sees a further reopening or resumption of many important services. In fact tomorrow marks the biggest step so far out of lockdown and I’ll come back to that at the end of my remarks.
From tomorrow the tourism sector can reopen, as can venues such as museums, galleries and cinemas; indoor hospitality can start up again; hairdressing services resume; faith services can restart; and the childcare sector is fully open once again.
The Scottish Government is publishing two new pieces of guidance today – both of which can be found on our website – which are directly linked to those steps.
We have published guidance for places of worship, which provides information on how they can ensure the safe resumption of congregational services. The guidance provides detailed information on issues such as physical distancing, cleaning, and the maximum group size of 50 which we are currently permitting for services.
I know that the resumption of communal prayer and worship is something that has been long awaited by many people of all faiths. Today’s guidance will I hope be useful in enabling such services to take place as safely as possible from tomorrow.
The second piece of guidance – which is relevant to places of worship, as well as many other venues – gives advice to businesses and organisations about the collection and retention of customer, visitor and staff data.
The guidance applies to all sectors where there could well be a high level of interaction between people who do not know each other. That could be through close contact between staff and customers – like at the hairdressers – or because a relatively large number of people are in a confined space for long periods – such as in restaurants, bars or other settings, including places of worship.
The guidance covers a range of issues – for example it makes clear that employers should save staff rotas, and have up-to-date contact details for employees. They should also ensure that their booking systems and ticketing methods allow contact tracers to locate and notify customers.
It’s maybe worth stressing that data collection is not – and cannot be – a replacement for other safety measures. Other precautions will continue to be vital – such as physical distancing, ensuring a good air flow, and wearing face coverings if physical distancing is more difficult.
But data collection is very important. It means that customers or staff can be notified, if they come into contact with somebody who is subsequently found to have Covid. It is therefore crucial to our Test and Protect System. And it is one of the measures which we hope will build public and staff confidence, as more and more premises reopen.
So I would encourage all businesses to read today’s guidance, and to consider very carefully whether their plans follow its recommendations.
And I would urge all customers to accept, that if you want to go somewhere like a hairdresser, or a place of worship, or a pub, you will be asked to provide contact details.
You should co-operate with anyone who asks you to do that. In fact, if you aren’t prepared to provide contact details, you probably shouldn’t go to these places. You could be putting others at greater risk.
Today’s guidance is in the best interests of businesses and of the public. All of us have a shared interest in making it work.
Because of that, the guidance on data collection is a good example of a wider point I make very regularly.
As we get out and about a bit more, there are some new constraints or responsibilities that we will sometimes have to accept as individuals, which will enable all of us as a society to enjoy a less restricted lifestyle.
Wearing face masks – as shops open up and as public transport services get a bit busier – is one example of that. So is providing contact details as indoor hospitality and other services reopen. Measures such as these will allow us to interact a bit more, while still protecting ourselves and each other.
So please, follow these rules. And remember more generally that sticking to the public health advice is more important now – as we try to open up more services – than it has been at any previous time.
The changes that come into force tomorrow are the highest risk changes so far since we started to come out of lockdown, because many of them involve indoor activity and we know that the risk of the virus spreading indoors in a pub for example is significantly higher than outdoors .
We also see that in some other parts of the world these kinds of places are already being shut down all over again, because transmission has increased. Just last night the state of California shut all its bars, cinemas, restaurants and museums all over again.
We here are perhaps more cautions in the timing of some of these changes than others. We have waited until infection levels are very low before opening up these kind so of places, but that doesn’t remove the risk. And I want to be clear today what our very immediate risk is so we can all play a part avoiding it.
You might be hearing in the media today warnings about the scale of a second wave of Covid and I can assure you that is a risk we take very seriously and we absolutely must do everything we can to mitigate against it.
But our most immediate risk is not a second wave, it’s the resurgence of the first wave. It has taken four painful months, but it is lockdown that has allowed us to stop the first wave in its tracks. By putting ourselves in lockdown, we put the virus in lockdown.
But I ask you to remember this, as we release ourselves from lockdown we also release the virus from it. So we have to work in other ways to keep it under control.
That is why we keep stressing our public health campaign – the Facts that we are asking everyone to not just remember, but live our lives by. It summarises the five key things all of us should remember in everything we do.
Face coverings should be worn in enclosed spaces such as shops and public transport. Anywhere that physical distancing is more difficult you should wear a face covering.
Avoid crowded places, whether indoors or outdoors.
Clean your hands and hard surfaces regularly.
Two metre distancing remains the general rule.
and Self isolate, and book a test if you have symptoms. You can go to the NHS Inform website to book a test. Don’t wait to see if you feel better, book a test immediately and self-isolate.
By remembering those five basic measures, we don’t eradicate the risk completely because with a virus that is not possible, but we will minimise the risk of the virus getting out of control again as we take this next step, so I appeal to you for your continued cooperation in all of that.
My thanks to all of you for your cooperation and to all of you for listening.
Face coverings to be mandatory in England’s shops and supermarkets from 24 July
Health and Social Care Secretary Matt Hancock has updated Westminster about plans to make face coverings mandatory in English shops and supermarkets from 24 July.
Thank you very much Mr Deputy Speaker, and with permission, I would like to make a statement about coronavirus.
Thanks to one of the greatest national efforts in peace time, this deadly virus continues to diminish.
Yesterday’s figures show 530 new cases, down 90% since the peak.
162 patients are currently in mechanical ventilator beds with coronavirus – down around 95% since the peak.
The latest number of deaths recorded in all settings across the UK is 11 – the lowest figure since 13 March.
And according to today’s ONS data, for the third consecutive week, total deaths are lower than normal for this time of year.
Due to this substantial progress, we have been able to restore freedoms and carefully and methodically restore the fabric of this country.
However, we cannot let our progress today lead to complacency tomorrow and so we must remain vigilant to keep this virus under control.
Our strategy is to protect the NHS, get the virus down, and keep the virus down, while restoring as much of normal life as possible and our tactic is to replace national lockdown with ever more targeted local action as we work hard to defeat this virus once and for all.
Our NHS Test and Trace system gets stronger all the time and since launch 6 weeks ago, 144,000 people have now been asked to self-isolate, who otherwise simply wouldn’t have known that they had to.
Where we find clusters or outbreaks we take local action – tackling over 100 incidents a week. Mostly these are small, in an individual care home, or pub, or factory. But we are also prepared to take action on a wider basis if that’s what it takes, just as we did in Leicester.
Four permanent test sites and 10 Mobile Testing Units have been deployed across the city, meaning that Leicester now has the highest rate of testing in the country.
We have launched one of the biggest communications programmes that Leicester has ever seen – including targeted social media posts, website banners, radio ads, billboards and even bin stickers. And we have been working closely with all parts of the local community, including community leaders, local businesses, and the local football and cricket clubs, to get the message out.
We’ve also established a process for making decisions to lift the lockdown, with the first decision point later this week.
Mr Deputy Speaker, local action is one way in which we control the spread of the virus, while minimising the economic and social costs.
Another is to minimise the risk as we return more to normality. In recent weeks, we have reopened retail and footfall is rising. We want to give people more confidence to shop safely, and enhance protections for those who work in shops.
Both of these can be done by the use of face coverings. Sadly, sales assistants, cashiers and security guards have suffered disproportionately in this crisis.
The death rate of sales and retail assistants is 75% higher among men, and 60% higher among women than in the general population. So as we restore shopping, so we must keep our shopkeepers safe.
There is also evidence that face coverings increase confidence in people to shop.
The British Retail Consortium has said that together with other social distancing measures, face coverings can make shoppers feel even more confident about returning to the high street. And the Chair of the Federation of Small Businesses has said that small firms know that mandatory face coverings have a part to play, and I quote, “in the nation’s recovery both physically and financially”… And that he is “sure this [measure] will be welcomed”.
We have therefore come to the decision that face coverings should be mandatory in shops and supermarkets.
Last month, we made face coverings mandatory on public transport and in NHS settings.
This has been successful in giving people more confidence to go on public transport and to a hospital setting when they need to.
Providing people with additional protection when they are not able to keep 2 metres from others, particularly people they do not normally come into contact with.
Under the new rules, people who do not wear a face covering will face a fine of up to £100, in line with the sanction on public transport and just as with public transport, children under 11 and those with certain disabilities will be exempt.
The liability for wearing a face covering lies with the individual.
Should an individual without an exemption refuse to wear a face covering, a shop can refuse them entry and can call the police if people refuse to comply, the police have the formal enforcement powers and can issue a fine.
This is in line with how shops would normally manage their customers and enforcement is of course a last resort, and we fully expect the public to comply with the rules as they have done throughout the pandemic.
I want to give this message to everyone who has been making vital changes to their daily lives, for the greater good.
Wearing a face covering does not mean that we can ignore the other measures that have been so important in slowing the spread of this virus.
Washing your hands. Following the rules on social distancing and just as the British people have acted so selflessly throughout this pandemic, I have no doubt they will rise to this once more.
Mr Deputy Speaker, as a nation, we have made huge strides in getting this virus, which has brought grief to so many, under control.
We are not out of the woods yet.
So let’s all of us do our upmost to keep this virus cornered, and enjoy summer safely.
SESH Hairdressing in Leith has gone above and beyond standard requirements to ensure the health and safety of their clients and team ahead of reopening tomorrow (Wednesday 15th July).
Following the enforced closure since March, the salon is a different space than it was pre Covid-19 and they have implemented processes to ensure safety and minimise impact on the environment.
The team supported local Edinburgh based company, Be Safe, by having branded fabric face coverings made for the team. These Breathe Easy masks will keep the salon team safe and ensure all clients remain protected. The face masks can be washed after use to minimise waste from disposable masks. In addition to this all team members will wear face shields.
The salon is known for their caring nature and going above and beyond to ensure an enjoyable experience for their clients. It was important to SESH Hairdressing to make sure the salon visit remained a luxurious experience and believed the standard issue plastic capes which are popular post Covid-19 would hinder this.
To combat this, SESH have decided to have laundry installed in the salon which means clients will still receive the soft gown they were used to prior to the closure. All gowns will be laundered after one use, and this will dramatically reduce the waste SESH dispose of. Not only is this initiative in the interest of clients, it is also in the interest of the environment.
An extension of this caring approach which is instinctive to SESH Hairdressing and Salon Owner, Simon Hill is the avoidance of any surcharges as they reopen. It is apparent lots of salons are adding a Covid-19 charge to their clients bill to cover the cost of the required PPE.
SESH Hairdressing believes this to be within their duty of care for their clients and team and therefore will not be adding any charge to their bills. Instead a small fee between £2 – £6 will be added for any additional work involved due to the overdue nature of the appointments.
In order to make the new normal easy for clients to adapt to and understand, SESH have been using their social media channels to communicate a clear visual of what clients can expect. This will continue into the salon with clearly marked ‘SESH Sanitise Stations’ throughout the salon and clear markers through the salon to ensure clients keep a safe distance and adhere to the guidelines set out by government.
Salon Owner, Simon Hill commented: “The salon reopening is long awaited and myself and the team are all so excited to get back to doing what we love. We have taken the necessary steps to make the salon as safe as possible.
“As we believe strongly in our duty of care to our clients, we have also gone the extra mile to protect the team and clients. This also led to our decision to avoid any Covid-19 surcharges as we feel it is our responsibility to safely proof the salon for their enjoyment.”
To book an appointment at the salon you can call 0131 555 0708 and visit their Instagram page @seshhairdressing.
Edinburgh and Lothians restaurants, pubs, cafes and other establishments that sell food for consumption on-premises are being urged to sign up to the UK Government’s ‘Eat Out to Help Out’ scheme.
Businesses who use the scheme will offer a 50% reduction, up to a maximum of £10 per person, to all diners who eat or drink-in throughout August.
The scheme is open to businesses across the UK and can be used all day, Monday to Wednesday in August.
Customers do not need a voucher as participating establishments will just remove the discount from their bill. Businesses simply reclaim the discounted amount through an online service, supported by HMRC.
The scheme is aimed at protecting jobs in the hospitality industry and is in addition to the reduction in VAT from 20% to 5% for tourism and hospitality businesses.
Businesses who sign up to the scheme will receive a window sticker and will be able to use promotional items such as posters and logos for social media.
Lothian MSP, Miles Briggs, said:“During lockdown the hospitality industry has been one of the hardest industries due to necessary closures.
“This scheme can give the industry a real boost during August to help businesses get back on their feet again.
“The hospitality and catering industry supports a huge number of jobs in Edinburgh and the Lothians which rely on the sector doing well.
“I encourage businesses across Edinburgh and the Lothians sign up to this scheme to attract more custom at the beginning of the week throughout August.”
Leith Theatre is delighted to announce that they have begun a partnership with new community interest company, ‘Empty Kitchens Full Hearts,’ to feed those in need during the Covid crisis and beyond.
The Thomas Morton Hall has been transformed into a bustling food storage, drop-off and packing centre and the attached kitchens, which are generally not in use, have once again found their calling, as a team of professional chefs work round the clock to prepare a selection of healthy foods for free delivery and takeaway.
Empty Kitchens Full Hearts started out in April as a response to Covid-19 directly affecting vulnerable people who already had limited access to food. Using food donated by supermarkets, charities and individuals, and utensils and catering equipment given by closed kitchens and restaurants, the team have already sent out 86,456 free meals.
Leith Theatre, which has recently closed the doors in a bid to protect itself against the financial impact of Covid-19, sought out a collaboration with Empty Kitchens Full Hearts in order to continue doing the only thing possible in the current situation; steadfastly support the community it is at the heart of.
To date, Empty Kitchens Full Hearts have distributed 10,158 nutritious meals completely free of charge from Leith Theatre. A hot food takeaway offering is now available between 11:30-12:30 and 16:30-17:30 every day, seven days a week for those unfortunately unable to reheat food themselves. This will now be served from the main entrance porch at Leith Theatre with access at the main gates clearly marked.
Lewis McLachlan, founder of the initiative, said, “All of the meals are cooked from scratch by professional catering staff who have either lost their jobs or been on the furlough scheme and are giving their time for free, alongside an army of volunteers packing and delivering.
“There is no sign that the need for this service is slowing down. At the start of May we were providing 4000 meals per week and less than two months later this has doubled to over 8000 with the week beginning the 13th of July forecast at 11,000.
“I believe these numbers are only going to get higher and moving into the Thomas Morton Hall is a key element for us to be ready to help more as people need it.”
Lynn Morrison, Executive Director at Leith Theatre, said,“When we heard that they were looking for a new kitchen, we knew that this worthwhile enterprise was something that would fit with our ethos and would be the perfect silver lining to the cloud of our closure.
“It is a way of supporting our community in a very proactive, visible way and something we are able to do despite being shut to the public until 2021.
“Having the building shut and sealed was never going to be something that sat well with Leith Theatre and I feel very much that by offering our kitchen, hall and outside space for this project, it acts as a natural companion to our highly successful foodbank, stationery and mask material collections.
“I am excited to collaborate with this wonderful team of tenacious chefs and volunteers and welcome them to the Leith Theatre family.”
If you or anyone you know is struggling with safe access to food, please contact the team on food.ekfh@gmail.com / 07895 347157.
Although the majority of the food donated would otherwise go to waste, and the project is run by volunteers, there are still costs involved; packaging, fuel, PPE and the additional running costs associated with such a huge operation.
Together, Leith Theatre and Empty Kitchens Full Hearts will continue to transform donated food into full meal packs, ensuring access to nourishment for all, and wasting nothing so that others may want for nothing.
Donations to Empty Kitchens Full Hearts can be made here:
Statement given by the First Minister Nicola Sturgeon at the media briefing in St Andrew’s House on Monday 13th July:
Good afternoon, and welcome to today’s briefing. I want to start by providing my usual update on the most recent Covid-19 statistics for Scotland.
An additional 6 positive cases were confirmed yesterday which takes the total now in Scotland to 18,365.
It’s maybe worth noting that on Friday and Sunday we saw higher numbers of new cases than has been the norm in recent weeks. Yesterday, 19 new cases were reported.
On any occasion when there is an increase like that, we look very thoroughly to see if there are any patterns or particular causes for concern.
With respect to the cases reported yesterday, 12 of the 19 cases were in Glasgow, and 7 cases – all of which were asymptomatic – related to one care home. That is being looked at in much more detail, and all necessary follow up tests, checks and precautions are being undertaken.
I can also report that a total of 550 patients are currently in hospital with the virus – either confirmed or suspected. That is 13 fewer than yesterday, but it includes an increase of 6 in the number of confirmed cases.
A total of 6 people last night were in intensive care with confirmed or suspected Covid-19. That is the same number as yesterday.
And since 5 March, a total of 4,125 patients who had tested positive for Covid-19 have been able to leave hospital.
I am pleased to say that during the last 24 hours, 0 deaths were registered of a patient confirmed through a test as having Covid-19. The total number of deaths under that measurement therefore remains 2,490.
This is the fifth day in a row on which no deaths have been reported, but it is worth providing just a little bit of context for the last two days.
At the start of the Covid outbreak, registration offices took special steps to allow for 7 day operations. I am very grateful to them and their staff for doing so.
But some offices are now going back to their usual pattern of being open only on weekdays – although for emergency situations, they continue to provide weekend arrangements.
Yesterday’s figure of 0 deaths is therefore welcome – but it has to be seen in that context.
And of course, regardless of the figures for any specific day, it is still important to remember the enormous impact the virus has had. I want to pass on my condolences once again to everyone who has lost a loved one in this process.
And again, I want to thank our health and care workers for the incredible work that you are doing.
In a few minutes the Cabinet Secretary for Health will talk about the resumption of breast cancer screening programmes. The National Clinical Director is going to say a little bit about the resumption of outdoor contact sports
I’ve got three issues I want to talk about briefly before then. The first is to tell you briefly about a new contract that NHS Scotland has signed with a Scottish biotechnology firm – E&O Laboratories.
E&O have succeeded in developing a new solution which can be placed within test tubes – the solution helps to make samples of Covid safe, so that each sample can be tested as soon as it arrives at a lab. It therefore improves the efficiency of the testing process.
E&O – who have come up with this product in just a matter of months – are now producing their first batch of the solution for NHS Scotland, and are also looking to supply to other parts of the UK.
Their success has already created 11 jobs, and they are looking to recruit for 10 more. That’s small in the context of the overall impact that Covid is having on employment in Scotland – but it is still welcome, and it is still significant.
This is a good example – and we have seen a lot of them in recent months – of a Scottish company innovating in a way which directly helps our response to Covid, while also supporting jobs.
The second issue I want to highlight is travel. In the coming weeks, we will inevitably start to travel a bit more – as more people return to work, and as some take the opportunity to make shopping trips, to visit friends, or to visit different bits of the country.
That is good news – but please do think about how and when you travel.
First of all – and this perhaps applies especially in relation to leisure travel at the weekend – if you go somewhere and it looks busy, our advice is to go somewhere else.
Yesterday, for example, at least one road had to be closed in the Trossachs, because it was being blocked by parked cars. We have also heard concerns in other areas – for example about large numbers of people wild camping in particular spots.
So we are asking you to, please, use your common sense – if car parks are full, move on, and if places look busy, then also move on.
Camp sites will start to open up from Wednesday onwards, so please if you intend to use them, book ahead of time.
And while public transport services are now returning more to normal, and physical distancing – with safety measures in place – is being relaxed to 1 metre for some services, in spite of all of that we know capacity is still likely to be restricted compared to pre-covid levels.
That is one reason why we are still asking you to work from home if you can. And if you can’t, employers and employees might want to think about other measures – such as staggered or flexible working times – which can help to reduce the pressure on our public transport network.
But I’d also ask people who are in a position to, to think about active travel.
I completely understand why for many journeys, people immediately think about using the car. But if your journey is a local one, think about whether it can be made by walking, cycling or wheeling. That won’t always be possible – but in quite a few cases, it will be a healthy and enjoyable alternative.
So as we all travel a bit more – think about how and why you are travelling.
If you are able to shop locally or work from home, continue do that.
And also, as I said, consider active travel.
And if you’re using public transport, plan ahead. If you’re able to travel at less busy times of day, that will help you and others. And at all times follow safety guidance – including of course by wearing a face covering.
That brings me on to the final point I want to cover today. Saturday and yesterday was the first full weekend when face coverings were mandatory in shops.
Everything I have seen or heard – through social media, through other reports, and through my own brief visit to a couple of shops yesterday – everything suggests that compliance with the new law has been very high indeed and I want to thank everyone for that.
It is exactly what I would have expected – but it is still very welcome.
Face coverings are mandatory in shops and on public transport – but it’s also worth remembering that they can also be useful in other indoor enclosed spaces. So if you are inside somewhere and it’s not easy to maintain physical distancing, it’s always a good idea to put your face covering on.
Indoor shopping malls open today, and you should wear the face covering not just in the shops, but also inside the shared spaces in the mall.
So my thanks to everyone who is now wearing a face covering. It is an important way in which all of us can help to protect each other.
That basic message – of solidarity, of protecting each other – is the note I want to end on. Today sees some more steps in our emergence from lockdown and later this week we will see some of the most significant steps yet.
As I’ve mentioned, indoor shopping malls open up; organised outdoor sport and play resumes for children; and some routine dental treatment restarts.
As these services reopen – and as we all leave the house a bit more it becomes more and more important for us to ensure that we are not creating possible bridges by which the virus can spread.
So I would ask you to remember the Facts. It summarises the five key things all of us should remember in everything we do.
Face coverings should be worn in enclosed spaces such as shops and public transport.
Avoid crowded places, whether indoors or outdoors.
Clean your hands and hard surfaces regularly.
Two metres distancing remains the general rule we’re asking you to abide by.
and Self isolate, and book a test, if you have symptoms.
If all of us remember and abide by these 5 steps then as we get out and about a bit more we can still help to keep the virus under control.
My thanks for your co-operation so far and I appeal to you to continue to co-operate with that basic public advice.
Join us for Edinburgh Culture Conversations, a 10-week series of live, online events that will debate the future role of arts and culture, and examine how the arts and creative sectors can help society recover from the effects of Covid-19.
The events will bring together members of the public, artists, academics and cultural leaders to discuss how culture contributes to our lives and what it could do in the future.
The online debates, staged in conjunction with the Edinburgh Futures Institute, begin tonight with the first conversation considering the question “How can we keep the Festival spirit of internationalism and interculturalism alive?”
Janet Archer, the University of Edinburgh’s Director of Festivals, Cultural and City Events, will host the weekly conversations which will debate the value of creativity, not only to the arts, but also to society and the wider economy.
Over the course of the series a distinguished panel of guests is set to include Scots Makar Jackie Kay, CEO and Festival Director of the Edinburgh International Festival Fergus Linehan, Chief Executive of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society, Shona McCarthy, singer-songwriter Karine Polwart and British Art Show 9 artist Hanna Tuulikki.
The conversations have been organised by the University of Edinburgh Festivals Office and are being staged in conjunction with the University of Edinburgh’s new centre for interdisciplinary learning and research, the Edinburgh Futures Institute.
Santander Universities has teamed up with Queen Margaret University (QMU), Edinburgh, and Edinburgh Napier University to say thank you to students across the health professions that are supporting the NHS in the fight against COVID-19.
A total of £50,000 has been allocated by Santander to provide gifts to 1,400 students across both universities.
QMU has offered their Nursing and Allied Health Professions students on the frontline a choice of one of two luxury food hampers – a ‘pamper hamper’ or breakfast hamper – to thank them for their hard work in battling the pandemic. The gifts have been provided by Artisan Larder Scotland, founded by QMU graduate David McVey.
Edinburgh Napier has linked up with Edinburgh-based sushi company Minato Sushi to offer its own eligible School of Health and Social Care students a £35 voucher for the business as a thank you for their efforts as part of the country’s COVID-19 response.
Minato Sushi was founded by Jennifer Kerr and Tom Ruddy – both Edinburgh Napier alumni. The local business continues to receive support from the University’s innovation and enterprise hub, Bright Red Triangle.
Matt Hutnell, Director, Santander Universities, said: “Universities across the UK, such as Queen Margaret University and Edinburgh Napier University, are doing some fantastic work to contribute to the UK’s effort to combat the COVID-19 pandemic, so we’re delighted to continue to support both students and local communities during this critical time.”
Sir Paul Grice, Principal and Vice-Chancellor of Queen Margaret University, said: “We are incredibly proud of all of our students from the School of Health Sciences, especially those who are playing their part in the NHS’s fight against COVID-19.
“Thanks to the continuing generosity and support of Santander Universities, we have been able to not only provide this thank you gift for hundreds of our hard-working health students, but also support one of our graduate businesses in the process. I hope the students enjoy the gift – they are doing fantastic work!”
Professor Andrea Nolan, Principal and Vice-Chancellor of Edinburgh Napier University, said: “Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, our nursing and midwifery students have demonstrated outstanding levels of professionalism during what has been an incredibly challenging – and often uncertain – time for all.
“Thanks to the generous continued support from Santander Universities, we’re delighted to be able to show our gratitude to nearly 900 students with this token of appreciation. I am pleased to be able to support one of our alumni businesses in the process. Our nursing and midwifery students have proved themselves to be wonderful ambassadors for the University and the health professions; on behalf of the whole university community, I thank them most sincerely.”
As demand for sustainable shopping alternatives increases, The Leith Collective prepares to come back even bigger than before:
Lockdown restrictions may be easing, but one person hoping the temporary pause in human activity over the past few months may prove to have a long-lasting, positive effect on consumer behaviour is Sara Thomson, founder of The Leith Collective.
The Leith Collective comprises more than 90 artists and makers from all over Scotland, brought together by a common aim to reuse, recycle, reclaim, and resell items that may otherwise have been destined for landfill.
Sustainability is at the heart of all they do, and their approach is proving popular with consumers whose eyes have been opened to the issue during the coronavirus pandemic. As a result, The Leith Collective has moved to bigger premises in Edinburgh’s Ocean Terminal to accommodate this increase in demand.
Commenting on the link between the coronavirus pandemic and the increase in awareness of sustainability, Sara Thomson explained: ‘I think there are a number of factors at play. Firstly, with shops and attractions closed, more people have explored their local countryside, and thanks to the reduction in traffic, wildlife has flourished and birdsong heard more clearly. All this has helped many people connect with nature as never before.
‘Secondly, with many people on furlough enjoying more time on their hands, we’ve seen a marked increase in hobbies such as gardening which naturally opens one’s eyes to sustainability.
‘Thirdly, the closing of the rubbish dumps may have presented some people with a stark realisation of just how much we throw away without thought. I believe it has no doubt spurred some people on to consider how many household items could potentially be repurposed.’
The Leith Collective is anticipating an increase in the number of customers wanting to embrace a more sustainable way of shopping and living as they prepare to open the doors to their larger premises today (Monday 13th July).
The all-new Leith Collective store features an outdoor area, with increased space to shop whilst safely socially distancing. The new shop location is just the latest way The Leith Collective has successfully pivoted in light of the coronavirus pandemic.
When Lockdown restrictions were first announced, The Leith Collective launched an online shop and offered local delivery throughout the Scottish capital. They then turned their attention to making a range of reusable masks, created using recycled material – designed to offer a sustainable alternative to disposable masks, with the added bonus that it would help keep their resident makers in business.
The success of this initiative has been tremendous – not only has it provided a genuine lifeline to many makers not eligible for government assistance, The Leith Collective was also able to donate hundreds of pounds worth of masks to children in care and care leavers, and give proceeds to the mental health charity, North East Edinburgh Counselling Service.
The all-new Leith Collective opens today (Monday 13th July) at RU65, Ocean Terminal, Ocean Drive, Edinburgh, EH6 6JJ. Opening hours are Monday – Saturday 11am – 6pm, and Sunday 11am – 5pm.
