Tag: hospitality

LAST ORDERS!

CAPITAL’S PUBS TO CLOSE ON FRIDAY AT 6pm FOR TWO WEEKS

Statement given by the First Minister Nicola Sturgeon to the Scottish Parliament, Edinburgh this afternoon (7 October 2020):

Presiding Officer, I will update the chamber today on the current position in relation to Covid.

I will give an assessment of the current course of the pandemic; propose difficult but important temporary measures to stem the increase in cases; set out how we will support businesses affected by them; and update the chamber on the longer term work we are doing to further improve our ability to live with Covid.

In all of this, I will be very frank about the challenges we face and the difficult balances we must try to strike.

None of this is easy, I am acutely aware that in every decision we take lives and jobs are at stake and I want to assure, not just the chamber but the country, that none of these decisions are taken lightly.

First, though, I will provide a summary of the daily statistics that were published a short time ago.

Since yesterday, an additional 1054 cases have been confirmed. That represents 13% of the people newly tested, and takes the total number of cases to 34,760. A total of 319 patients are currently in hospital with confirmed Covid-19, which is an increase of 57 since yesterday.

And 28 people are in intensive care, which is an increase of 3 since yesterday. I regret to report that 1 further death has been registered of a patient who had been confirmed as having the virus. The total number of deaths in Scotland under that measurement is therefore now 2,533.

National Records of Scotland has also just published its weekly update, which includes cases where COVID is a suspected or contributory cause of death.

Today’s update shows that by last Sunday, the total number of registered deaths linked to Covid was 4,276.

20 of those deaths were registered last week. That is the highest weekly number of deaths since late June.

Every single one of these deaths represents the loss of an irreplaceable individual. 

So once again, I want to send my deepest condolences to all those who are currently grieving.

These figures illustrate the rising challenge we again face from this virus.

That challenge is also set out – starkly – in an evidence paper published today by the Scottish Government’s senior clinical advisors – the Chief Medical Officer, the Chief Nursing Officer and the National Clinical Director.

It assesses our current situation in relation to Covid.

And it explains – as I will try to do in this statement – why we need to introduce additional measures to control the virus; why it is urgent that we act now; and why we have decided upon the specific actions that I am setting out today.

Before I come onto that let me emphasise some of the more positive elements of our current position.

It is important – for the morale of all of us – that we don’t forget that progress has been made. It might not feel this way, but the situation now is better than it was in March.

We are benefiting from the sacrifices we made over the summer. By driving the virus to very low levels then, we have helped to ensure that – even after several weeks of increases – the estimated total number of cases is currently just 13% of the peak level back in March.

Cases are rising, but they are not rising as quickly as they were then.

In addition, and most importantly of all, we now have Test & Protect teams across the country, who are doing exceptional work. Test & Protect is now bearing a lot of the strain of controlling the virus.

And of course we understand more now about how to reduce the risk of transmission – for example, by meeting outdoors rather than indoors if possible, wearing face coverings, cleaning hands thoroughly, and keeping our distance from people in other households.

So while there are significant restrictions still in place – and they are hard and painful – we are living much more freely now than in the spring and early summer.

We are determined – if at all possible – that this will continue to be the case.

So let me be clear. We are not going back into lockdown today. We are not closing schools, colleges or universities. We are not halting the remobilisation of the NHS for non-Covid care. And we are not asking people to stay at home.

So while the measures I announce today will feel like a backward step, and in many respects I know they are, they are in the interests of protecting our progress overall.

It is by taking the tough but necessary action now, that we hope to avoid even tougher action in future.

Let me turn now to more detail to the state of the virus.

The need for action is highlighted by the daily figures I reported a moment ago, more fundamentally, in the evidence paper published today.

It’s worth remembering that when I updated Parliament just over two weeks ago, the average number of new cases being reported each day was 285. That was up from 102 three weeks previously.

Now, we are reporting an average of 788 new cases each day. In addition, I can report that in the 7 days up to Monday, the number of people in hospital with Covid increased by almost 80%.

And the number of people who died with Covid last week was the highest for 14 weeks. In fact, there was the same number of deaths in the last week alone as in the whole of the previous month.

The increase in the numbers of people in hospital with, and sadly dying from Covid reflect the rise we are now seeing in new cases among older age groups. In the second half of September, cases were rising most rapidly in the younger age groups.

However, in the past week, cases in people over 80 years old increased by 60%, and cases in the 60 to 79 year old age group more than doubled.

And we are seeing geographic as well as demographic spread.

Without a doubt – and by some distance – the highest levels of infection are across the central belt.

We are particularly concerned about Greater Glasgow & Clyde, Lanarkshire, Ayrshire & Arran, Lothian and Forth Valley – and that will be reflected in some of what I say later.

But that should not obscure the fact that numbers are rising across Scotland. The majority of our health board areas are now recording more than 50 new cases per 100,000 of their population each week. And virtually every heath board area has a rising number of cases. The only exceptions are Orkney and Shetland, and even they have had cases in recent weeks.

There is also, as we speak, a significant outbreak in the Western Isles.

So the need to act – and to act across the country – is clear. What is also clear is the need to take additional action now.

I mentioned earlier that prevalence of the virus is currently around 13% of its March peak.

However, we estimate that the number of new Covid cases is currently growing by around 7% each day.

So without action – and this is perhaps the starkest warning in today’s evidence paper – we are likely to return to the peak level of infections we had in the Spring by the end of this month.

It’s also instructive to consider the experience of other countries. Our modelling suggests that we are approximately four weeks behind France and six weeks behind Spain in the resurgence of the virus.

Their resurgence, like ours, was initially concentrated among younger people. However it spread to other age groups and they are now seeing significantly more hospital admissions, more people in intensive care, and more deaths.

It is to interrupt that trajectory that we must act now.

Of course, we have already taken perhaps the most important – and certainly the most painful – step we can to reduce transmission.

For the last 12 days, apart from certain limited exceptions, we have not been able to meet up in each other’s homes.

That should already be making a difference to infection rates even if, because there is always a time lag between introducing new measures and the impact they have, we are not yet seeing it reflected in our figures.

And let me take the opportunity to emphasise again today how vitally important it is that we all stick to that rule. It’s incredibly hard for all of us not to visit friends and family, or have them visit us. But it is the single most effective measure we can take to stop Covid passing from one household to another.

So please stick with it.

That measure is vital, but the clinical advice I have received now is that it is not sufficient. We need to do more and we need to do it now.

And to those who may wonder and ask, understandably, if the measures I set out today go too far, let me be clear about this.

If this was a purely one-dimensional decision – if the immediate harm from Covid was all we had to consider – it is quite likely that we would go further. But, 7 months into this pandemic, I am acutely aware that this is not and cannot be a one-dimensional decision. We have a duty to balance all of the different harms caused by the pandemic.

We must consider the direct harm to health from the virus – which must be reduced – but do that alongside the harm being done to jobs and the economy, which in turn has an impact on people’s health and wellbeing.

And we have to consider the wider harms to health and wellbeing that the virus – and the restrictions deployed to control it – are having on all of us.

For all of these reasons, we are applying a far more targeted approach than we did in March – one which reduces opportunities for the virus to spread, while keeping businesses and other activities as open as possible.

And we are not recommending that people who shielded over the summer, should return to staying completely indoors. We know how damaging that is to your wellbeing. But we do recommend that you take extra care – especially if you live in the central belt. You can now access information about infection levels in your local neighbourhood on the Public Health Scotland website.

Presiding officer, let me now set out the additional measures that we are proposing.

The measures on hospitality are intended to be in force for 16 days, from Friday at 6pm to Sunday 25 October inclusive – in other words across the next two weeks and three weekends.

So, firstly, with the exception of the five health board areas I will talk about shortly – pubs, bars, restaurants and cafes will be able to operate indoors on the following very restricted basis only:

During the day, from 6am to 6pm, for the service of food and non-alcoholic drinks only.

Hotel restaurants will be able to operate beyond 6pm, but only for residents and without alcohol.

The reason we are not closing indoor hospitality completely is that we know the benefits, in terms of reducing loneliness and isolation, of giving people – particularly those who live alone – somewhere they can meet a friend for a coffee and a chat.

But the restrictions will be strictly applied. And all the current regulations and the limits on meeting a maximum of 6 people from 2 households in indoor public places will still apply.

Again with the exception of the central belt areas I will mention shortly, bars, pubs, restaurants and cafes can continue to serve alcohol outdoors up to the existing curfew time of 10pm, and subject to the 6/2 rule on group size.

There will be an exemption to these rules – in all parts of Scotland – it’s important to stress this, for celebrations associated with specific life events such as weddings that are already booked and funerals. The current rules for those will continue to apply.

These are the new measures that will take effect nationwide.

However, because of higher levels of infection in the central belt, we are introducing stricter restrictions in the following five health board areas – Greater Glasgow & Clyde, Lanarkshire, Ayrshire & Arran, Lothian and Forth Valley.

In these areas, all licensed premises – with the exception of hotels for residents – will be required to close indoors and outdoors, though takeaways will be permitted. Hotels will remain open for residents.

Cafes which don’t have an alcohol license will be able to stay open until 6pm to support social isolation.

In addition, snooker and pool halls, indoor bowling alleys, casinos and bingo halls will close in these areas for two weeks from 10 October.

Contact sports for people aged 18 and over will be suspended for the next two weeks – with an exception for professional sports.

And indoor group exercise activities will not be allowed – although the current rules will remain in place for under 18s.  Gyms can remain open for individual exercise.

Outdoor live events will not be permitted in these five regions for the next two weeks.

And finally, we are asking people living in these 5 health board areas to avoid public transport unless it is absolutely necessary – for example for going to school or to work, if home working is not an option.

We are not imposing mandatory travel restrictions at this stage, and specifically, we are not insisting that people cancel any half term breaks they have planned.

However, in general, we are advising people living in Greater Glasgow & Clyde, Lanarkshire, Ayrshire & Arran, Lothian and Forth Valley not to travel outside the health board area they live in, if you don’t need to – and likewise people in other parts of Scotland should not travel to these areas if they don’t need to.

More detail of all that I have just set out will be available on the Scottish Government website.

I now want to set out some of the reasoning behind these decisions, and the focus on hospitality.

I know that the vast majority of pubs, bars and restaurants have worked exceptionally hard over the last few months to ensure the safety of their staff and customers. I am grateful to them for that.

However the evidence paper published today sets out why these settings present a particular risk. The R number seems to have risen above 1 approximately three weeks after the hospitality sector opened up. We know that more than 1/5 of people contacted by test and protect, report having visited a hospitality setting.

It doesn’t mean that is absolutely where they got the virus but it does show these settings pose a particular risk of transmitting the virus.

That makes sense from what we know about how the virus is spread.

Indoor environments, where different households from different age groups can mix, inevitably present a risk of transmission.  That risk can be increased, in some hospitality premises, if good ventilation is difficult, and if it is hard to control the movement of people. And the presence of alcohol can of course affect people’s willingness to physically distance. 

For all of these reasons, significantly restricting licensed premises for sixteen days temporarily removes one of the key opportunities the virus has to jump from household to household. It is an essential part of our efforts to get the R number back below 1.

It is also worth noting that many other countries are also introducing restrictions on hospitality – Ireland, France, Germany and Belgium have announced a variety of different measures over the past few days.

I mentioned earlier that one of the things we are trying to do is to balance the public health harm caused by Covid, with wider economic and social harms. 

I know that the measures we are proposing today, although they are temporary, will have a significant impact on many businesses and I am sorry for that. But since the Government is placing an obligation on businesses, we also have an obligation to help them financially.

I can announce that we are making available an additional £40 million to support businesses that will be affected by these measures over the next two weeks. We will work with the affected sectors – obviously especially hospitality – in the coming days to ensure that this money provides the most help, to those who most need it and gets to them as quickly as possible.

For the rest of this month, businesses can also use the UK Government’s job retention scheme. However, that now requires a significant contribution from employers – so one of the things we will discuss with businesses, in relation to our own support package, is how we can mitigate some or all of that contribution.

As I have indicated, our intention is that these additional measures will be in place for just over two weeks, incorporating three weekends – from 6pm on Friday to Sunday, 25 October. Of course, we will keep the situation under review between now and then, and keep Parliament updated.

We hope that the restrictions already in place and those I have announced today will stem the increase in new cases. But I can’t stress enough that is fundamentally is down to all of us.

The more we comply with all of the restrictions and advice the more effective they will be.

It is also important because we want these restrictions to be temporary that we use the next two weeks to prepare, protect and prevent – to further strengthen our resilience and our ability to live alongside this virus. So I can confirm over the next period we will also take the following steps.

Firstly, we will introduce regulations to extend the mandatory use of face coverings in indoor communal settings – this will include, for example, staff canteens and corridors in workplaces.

We will take action to strengthen compliance with the different strands of the FACTS advice – focusing on areas where we know from research that compliance is not yet high enough, for example, the need to self isolate.

I can also confirm that, from this weekend and across Scotland, we are asking shops to return to 2 metre physical distancing and asking them to reintroduce the mitigations they put in place earlier in the pandemic – for example, one way systems in supermarkets.

We will also work across all other sectors to review – and where necessary tighten – the guidance and regulation on their operating practices.

In addition, over the next two weeks, we will conduct a further review of our testing strategy – setting out the further steps we will take to further expand capacity, which is already underway, and build resilience and also the further steps we will take to extend testing to more people and more groups of people without symptoms.

And, lastly, we will finalise a strategic framework, setting out the different levels of intervention which can be adopted in future – either locally or across Scotland – depending on how the virus is spreading. We very much hope to align the broad framework with those being considered by other UK nations – although each nation will take its own decisions on implementation.

We will put, subject of course to Parliament’s agreement, put this strategic framework to a debate and vote in Parliament in the week after the recess.

Presiding officer, I am well aware that the measures I have outlined today are disruptive to many businesses – obviously especially hospitality businesses – and will be unwelcome to many people across the country.

However although they are significant – as they need to be, to make an impact – they do not represent a lockdown. In fact, they are designed to reduce the likelihood of a future lockdown.

We are not requiring people to stay inside all day as we were earlier in the year.

Schools will stay open.  Learning will continue in our Universities and Colleges.

Shops will continue to trade, and businesses like manufacturing and construction will continue.

And these new restrictions are intended to last for 16 days. They are intended to be short, sharp action to arrest a worrying increase in infection.

Although they are temporary, they are needed.

Without them, there is a very real risk the virus, presiding officer, will be out of control by the end of this month.

But with them, we hope to slow its spread. That will help us to keep schools and businesses – including hospitality businesses – open over the winter. And fundamentally it will save lives.

So please follow these new rules. And continue to take the other basic steps that will protect you and each other.

Do not visit other people’s homes.

Work from home if you can.

Download the Protect Scotland app, if you can and haven’t already done so.

And remember FACTS.

Face coverings; avoid crowded places; clean hands and hard surfaces; 2 metre distancing; and self isolate, and get tested if you have symptoms.

Sticking to all of this isn’t easy, after seven long months it is harder than it has ever been. But it is essential. It’s the best way to look out for each other, and now more than ever, we all need that spirit of love and solidarity that has served us so well.

And hard through it is to believe it right now, all the hard sacrifices we are making will hasten the brighter days that do lie ahead. The pandemic will pass.

So, let’s all stick with it – and above all, let’s stick together.

My thanks, again, to everyone across the country, for all you are doing.

‘DEVASTATING NEWS’

Responding to the First Minister’s announcement for further restrictions for pubs, CAMRA’s Director for Scotland Joe Crawford said:  “The First Minister’s announcement banning the serving of alcohol indoors for 16 days across the country – and forcing pubs in five health board areas in the central belt to close altogether – is absolutely devastating news for pubs and breweries.  

“Publicans who have been operating at reduced rates, and who have already invested thousands of pounds of their dwindling reserves making their premises COVID-secure, now face 16 days without any turnover whatsoever. Understandably, they feel like pubs have become the scapegoat for the pandemic. 

“The £40 million in support for the hospitality sector is welcome and necessary but the devil will be in the detail.

“Without proper financial compensation now – and longer-term financial support to help deal with reduced trade as a result of restrictions like the curfew – we risk seeing thousands of pubs, clubs and breweries closing for good before Christmas.” 

 LICENSED TRADE IS THE ‘SACRIFICIAL LAMB’ – SLTA

Responding to the announcement Colin Wilkinson, Scottish Licensed Trade Association (SLTA) managing director, said: “The recent introduction of the 10pm closing time plus the two-household group of six rule is having a devasting effect on the industry – closures are looming and now today’s announcement of further restrictions and temporary lockdowns will only accelerate business failure and job losses.

“A recent survey highlighted that nearly 40% of hospitality businesses were considering closure or business exit. In September, an SLTA survey of 600 on-trade premises highlighted that within the pub and bar sector, 12,500 jobs could go.

“These figures have increased dramatically in only a month. When the industry reopened after lockdown and with the then restrictive measures in place, it was estimated that two-thirds of hospitality businesses could still be viable, but only just, with one-third of businesses unable to open.

“Now that figure has flipped and in our estimation two-thirds of hospitality businesses could be mothballed or go under. Over 50% of jobs in the pub and bar sector could also be lost which will have a particularly deep impact on the employment of young people as over 40% of staff employed are under the age of 25.

“Our research already tells us that many in the industry are on the precipice of business failure and these further restriction measures announced today and the much quieter winter season approaching leads us to only one conclusion: the sector is now heading into a scenario of ‘last man standing’.

“Details of the First Minster’s announcement of a £40m financial support package are awaited, but the question is will this be enough?  In our opinion the hospitality sector in general needs substantially greater and far more reaching support than has just been announced and does not come anywhere near to saving our industry.  

“The SLTA will be working with the Scottish Government on how this funding will be distributed to those affected by today’s announcement.

“Responsible operators are running safe, carefully monitored establishments so in our opinion there is no need for the Scottish Government to ‘go further’ on pubs.

“Actions by governments are meant to be proportionate and evidence based and despite reference today to newly released “evidence paper” the industry continues to call on the Government to provide the evidence for infection rates stemming directly from the licensed trade.

“Industry figures suggest that there are very low infection rates of staff within our pubs and bars which suggests to us that the industry is doing everything that it can and is providing as safe an environment as possible – otherwise, if we were a major causal route of infection, this would surely be reflected in the infection rate of hospitality staff.

“It would appear again that Scotland’s licensed trade is the sacrificial lamb and paying the price for other sectors that do not operate under such restrictive measures as we have seen recently.”

Shut Down Rogue Operators to Save Scotland’s Bars and Restaurants

New industry group issues appeal as Scottish Government enforces further limits on gatherings

A new body representing many of Scotland’s most successful restaurant and bar owners has called on the Scottish Government to immediately shut down licensed premises which flout social distancing regulations.

The newly-formed Scottish Hospitality Group (SHG) comprises many of the country’s largest and best-known restaurant and bar businesses, including The DRG Group, Buzzworks Holdings, Signature Pubs, Montpeliers, Manorview Group, Lisini Pub Co, Caledonia Inns, G1 Group, Siberia Bar & Hotel, Mor-Rioghain Group, and Caledonian Heritable.

The businesses are founded and based in Scotland and collectively contribute a significant investment to the Scottish economy, employing close to 6,000 staff across the country. The well-known venues have a combined turnover of over £275 million.

Yesterday the organisation demanded that ‘rogue licensees’ who fail to enforce social distancing regulations, in light of the revised Scottish Government guidance limiting gatherings to six people from two households, should be shut down immediately to safeguard the wider industry.

Award-winning hotelier Stephen Montgomery, spokesman for the SHG, who runs two hotels in Dumfries and Galloway, said: “We have been forced to act because our industry is facing an existential crisis.

“The vast majority of bars and restaurants in Scotland have been adhering religiously to every regulation that has been introduced because we realise the very future of our industry is at stake.

“The Scottish Government simply must not take a blanket approach if a few rogue licensees fail to do the right thing.

“All members of the SHG are united in calling on the Scottish Government to immediately shut down the operators of bars and restaurants who don’t adhere to the very highest standards of social distancing, PPE and other essential hygiene measures.

“Targeting the few bars and restaurants which are breaking the rules is the proper and proportionate way to proceed, particularly in light of the revised Scottish Government guidance limiting gatherings to six people from two households. 

“Responsible bar and restaurant owners across Scotland are also essential to the effective use of the track and trace system. If you shut down restaurants and bars, you are massively increasing the risk of more house parties and irresponsible gatherings, where track and trace is almost impossible.” 

The SHG founding members are:

The DRG Group – Mario Gizzi

The Di Maggio’s Restaurant Group (The DRG) is Scotland’s largest independently owned restaurant operator. Founded by Joe Conetta and his nephew, Mario Gizzi, in 1983 with the creation of the Glasgow institution, Di Maggio’s. Thirty years later, Mario is still at the helm, co-managing the business with Joe’s son, Tony Conetta. DRG now has 25 restaurants in Glasgow, Edinburgh and Aberdeen. Brands within the DRG include Di Maggio’s, Café Andaluz, Amarone, Barolo, The Anchor Line, Atlantic and Cadiz. Gizzi is also co-owner of another successful restaurant business. Turnover £40m – 1,200 plus employees.

Buzzworks Holdings – Kenny Blair

Buzzworks Holdings is one of Scotland’s fastest growing independent restaurant and bar operators, managing twelve prestigious venues across Ayrshire and beyond with over 500 staff. The award-winning company offers an aspirational dining and entertainment experience through four stylish brands – Scotts, House, Lido & Vic’s & The Vine – bringing in an annual turnover of over £18m. It is currently ranked within The Sunday Times Best 100 Best Companies to work for in the UK.

Signature Pubs – Nic Wood

Signature Pubs formed in 2003 with a current t/o £35m Scottish hospitality business of 22 non branded venues – independently owned, operated and financed. We employ +700 staff to operate these bars, restaurants and hotels. Representations of all aspects of the sector eg Kyloe Restaurant & Grill – premium steakhouse within The Rutland Hotel in Edinburgh’s West End, The Spiritualist – cocktail bar in Merchant  City, Glasgow, Cold Town House – restaurant, bar, entertainment venue and microbrewery offering tours and experiences in Edinburgh’s Grassmarket.

Montpeliers – Innes Bolt

Launched in 1992, Montpeliers is a forward thinking bar/restaurant, nightclub and hotel group. It turns over more than £15m and has seven venues employing just over 250 staff. These include Tigerlily, Rabble, Montpeliers, Indigo Yard, Eastside and Candy Bar. David Wither and Ruth Wither (Partners) also founded one of the most successful online hospitality training businesses – Flow.

Manorview Group – Steve Graham

Established in 2007, The Manorview Group boasts eight luxury boutique hotels across the central belt of Scotland and more than 500 employees.  They specialise in the restoration of old and tired properties, transforming them into luxury boutique hotels. These include The Busby Hotel, Busby; The Torrance Hotel, East Kilbride; Boclair House, Bearsden and Cornhill Castle in Biggar. The business turnsover in the region of £16m.

Lisini Pub Co – Lisa Wishart

Lisini Pub Company is one of the most successful, independent, family run hospitality businesses in Scotland. With almost 50 years’ experience its portfolio of hotels, bars and restaurants in Lanarkshire include: Angels Hotel in Uddingston, Dalziel Park Hotel in Motherwell, The Parkville Hotel in Blantyre and The Castle Rooms in Uddingston. The company turns over in the region of £8m and has 240+ employees.

Caledonia Inns – Billy Lowe

Formed in 2017 by Billy Lowe who formerly owned Saltire Taverns (sold in 2015) has owned 36 bars over the course of the last 25 years. His current venues include Black Ivy and MacSorley’s in Edinburgh. The business turns over £8m and has 100 employees.

Caledonian Heritable – Graeme Arnott

Caledonian Heritable turns over in excess of £45 million and employees some 800 plus people. It is one of Scotland’s biggest bar and pub owners and operators.

G1 Group – Lesley Welsh 
G1 Group was founded in Glasgow in 1990 and is Scotland’s largest independently owned hospitality group. With a diverse collection of over 50 venues, they specialise in the restoration and refurbishment of buildings with listed status. G1 operate a handful of hotels in Edinburgh, as well as a range of restaurants, bars and pubs all over the country. They also operate 3 cinemas, including the only independently owned IMAX in the UK. G1 has a turnover of £85m with 930 staff.

Siberia Bar & Hotel – Stuart McPhee 
With a turnover of £1.5m and employing 28 staff, Siberia Bar & Hotel, is an award winning independently owned bar, restaurant and hotel on a site that has been operated and developed by the company in Aberdeen city centre for over 40 years. 

Mor-Rioghain Group – Gavin Stevenson

Mior-Rioghain Group venues offer fine Scottish hospitality and a range of local food and drink that showcase the very best Scotland has to offer. The business employs 125 people across its three sites in Aberdeen and Inverness and turns over £3.5m.

ForeverEdinburgh: tourism industry fights back

  • ForeverEdinburgh encourages residents and visitors to share what they love about Edinburgh and invites them back into the city
  • Campaign is a joint initiative from Edinburgh Tourism Action Group, City of Edinburgh Council and industry partners
  • Tourism and hospitality industry is one of the worst hit by the COVID-19 pandemic

A new initiative to support Edinburgh’s hard-hit tourism and hospitality industry has gone live. The ForeverEdinburgh campaign has been developed by the Edinburgh Tourism Action Group (ETAG), working closely with the City of Edinburgh Council and industry partners from across the sector, including hoteliers, visitor attractions, bars and restaurants, events and festivals and transport.

The campaign aims to maintain Edinburgh’s position as the UK’s top visitor destination outside of London, attracting over 4 million visitors a year and employing 34,000 of the city’s 513,000 residents. Its launch follows the recent relaxation of lockdown restrictions for many parts of the tourism and hospitality sector which has allowed businesses to reopen over the last month.

Edinburgh’s tourism sector has gone from strength to strength in recent years but has seen a very dramatic reversal of fortunes recently.  It was only a few short months ago that the key challenge was how to address the concerns around over tourism in the city. 

However, the impact of the COVID19 pandemic has hit the city particularly hard  and while the relaxation of lockdown rules has seen a boom in staycations in more rural parts of Scotland, visitors remain cautious about visiting city locations and key draws to the city, such as major events, festivals and business conferences have had to be cancelled.

The ForeverEdinburgh initiative aims to ‘inform and inspire’ residents and visitors alike, giving them the confidence to come into the city by communicating the new safety measures in place right across the city, ensuring people feel prepared and reassured. 

A new website soon to be launched, will provide information to help people plan their visit responsibly as well as recommend things to see and do and, for those from further afield, where to stay.

Edinburgh residents and visitors will be invited to share what they love most about Edinburgh using #ForeverEdinburgh. From local walks and cycle routes to favourite restaurants or the best place to get a cappuccino, ForeverEdinburgh will inspire people to get into the city again, whether that’s to revisit an old gem or discover a new one.

Local businesses are encouraged to engage with the ForeverEdinburgh campaign and be part of a united, city-wide movement with increased visibility and social engagement through #ForeverEdinburgh.

A digital toolkit with flexible campaign assets designed for easy integration with existing brand and marketing collateral will be available to download at www.etag.org.uk.

Donald Emslie, Chair of ETAG, said: “The impact of COVID-19 and the implications for the tourism sector in Edinburgh are unlike anything we have experienced before.  It was clear from the very early days of the crisis that Edinburgh’s tourism sector was going to be particularly hard hit, putting many jobs and businesses at risk. 

“It was also clear that a new approach to promoting the city’s tourism offer would be required, making public health issues the top priority to ensure the safety of residents, visitors and those working in the industry. 

“A key challenge is also the rapidly changing situation, so rather than create a traditional tourism marketing campaign, the #foreveredinburgh initiative is designed to ‘inform and inspire’ people and importantly create a platform which tourism businesses of all types and sizes can be part of. 

“ETAG recently surveyed the city’s tourism sector and this demonstrated that their collective social media reach is over 3 million followers, so working together and harnessing this huge resource to promote the city creates a very strong voice for the city.

“ForeverEdinburgh will also encourage residents and visitors themselves to share what they love about the city, creating a genuine ‘Team Edinburgh’ effort to support the many jobs and businesses that rely on visitor income and contribute to the wider city economy, and so we are hoping as many people as possible will get behind the Forever Edinburgh campaign.”

Adam McVey, Leader of City of Edinburgh Council said: “There is no underestimating how important tourism and hospitality is to Edinburgh, whether that’s in terms of our city’s economy, local businesses and jobs or our residents’ wellbeing and enjoyment.

“We’re lucky to have such an incredibly vibrant and varied offering at our fingertips – in part driven by the high levels of visitors that our beautiful city attracts – and we need to act urgently to provide support to our local businesses and help build the industry back to be as sustainable and resilient as possible.

“At the same time, we have to carefully balance this support with ensuring that Edinburgers can enjoy these businesses safely and without compromising their own health or that of others.

“Like all of our recovery efforts, we’re taking a Team Edinburgh approach to backing and implementing the campaign and we’re confident that by working together we can encourage Edinburgers to rediscover parts of their city safely and fall in love with it all over again. We’ll not only see the buzz that we’ve missed so much return to our streets, we’ll also see a positive impact on our local high streets across the city to boost local business and help protect jobs.”

The ForeverEdinburgh campaign has been created in partnership with Edinburgh-based The Lane Agency, who have an award-winning track record with high-profile destination campaigns across Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Chris Bruce, Director of The Lane Agency, said: “We’ve worked on City of Edinburgh campaigns in the past, however this one was more poignant and important than ever. 

“We’ve all experienced eerily silent offices and shops and share a desire to see Edinburgh safely returning to the vibrant, buzzing city we know.  It has been a privilege working on a campaign that will reintroduce the city to its residents and visitors.”

Elaine Green, Edinburgh Capital Group, commented: “Edinburgh Capital Group members are delighted to cement their role as reasons to visit Edinburgh by being part of Team Edinburgh’s #ForeverEdinburgh campaign and hope it will encourage locals to get to know their beautiful city better and the array of attractions, tours and events it has to offer.

“Our members are all certified by the UK-wide ‘We’re Good to Go’ scheme and ready to welcome visitors.”

Neil Ellis, Chair Edinburgh Hotels Association, said: “The Edinburgh Hotels Association as a #ForeverEdinburgh partner, is grateful to ETAG for spearheading on this very much welcome and needed campaign for our amazing capital city. Our members stand ready, as they always have, to safely welcome guests from near and far for that no doubt, well-earned city break.

Lyndsay Wilkie, Director, Business Development at The University of Edinburgh who run three hotels and multiple venues across the City, said: “Edinburgh’s tourism and hospitality industry has always been so vibrant and something we are all proud of, which is why it makes it so hard to see the City’s hotels, venues and restaurants so quiet at what would normally be our busiest time of the year. 

“That’s why we are delighted to be partnering with ETAG, City of Edinburgh Council and other key industry partners on the #ForeverEdinburgh campaign, as it’s now more important than ever that we come together to showcase what Edinburgh has to offer. 

“I know how much energy we’ve put into making our hotels and venues safe for our guests and delegates, and we are lucky that our City has so much green and open space for our visitors to enjoy, this campaign will help us all to tell this story and give confidence to our guests of the future.”

The ForeverEdinburgh campaign is jointly funded by City of Edinburgh Council, ETAG and industry partners.  The core objectives of the initiative are to maintain Edinburgh’s position as a top visitor destination, to drive footfall in a safe and responsible way, and ultimately safeguard jobs and businesses right across the city’s tourism and hospitality industry.

Partners include:

  • ETAG
  • City of Edinburgh Council
  • Edinburgh Hotels Association
  • University of Edinburgh
  • Edinburgh Airport
  • Essential Edinburgh
  • Edinburgh Capital Group
  • The List
  • City Cabs
  • Edinburgh Trams
  • Signature Pubs

Hospitality rules tightened

Face coverings to be mandatory across more indoor public premises 

Settings where face coverings must be legally worn in Scotland is expanding to include certain indoor public places such as cinemas, galleries, museums and banks, from today (Saturday 8 August).

Further rules for the hospitality sector, including the introduction of new statutory guidance, have been announced to increase compliance and keep the sector safely open.

While the new guidance won’t come into effect until Friday 14 August, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has emphasised that the hospitality industry should already be doing the right thing, and if not then they should start now.

Hospitality premises should be collecting customer contact details for Test and Protect. Tables should be pre-booked where possible, with no queueing. There should be no background music and TVs should be muted to reduce the need for people to shout or lean in to each other, and no more than three households at a time should be meeting in a group.

From next Friday (14 August), it will be mandatory to collect contact details of customers in a range of hospitality and public settings.

Face shields may be used but only if they are worn in addition to a face covering. While exemptions to face coverings will apply, the new settings face coverings must now be worn in will include:

  • any premises open to members of the public and used for the retail sale or hire of goods or services. This now includes: shops; takeaway restaurants; estate agents; and beauty parlours. This does not extend to hospitality premises such as sit-in cafes and restaurants
  • aquariums, indoor zoos or visitor farms, and any other indoor tourist, heritage or cultural site
  • banks, building societies and credit unions
  • cinemas
  • community centres
  • crematoriums and funeral directors premises
  • libraries and public reading rooms
  • museums and galleries
  • places of worship
  • post offices
  • storage and distribution facilities, including collection and drop off points

The First Minister said: “To say that the incident in Aberdeen is deeply regrettable is an understatement. But it underlines an extremely important point: any time one of us fails to abide by the rules, we put others at risk and give this virus the chance to come roaring back. 

“That’s something which we simply cannot afford to do. We’ve seen – every day of this outbreak – how easily COVID-19 can spread.

“We need to do everything we can to stop it in its tracks and that is why we are expanding the mandatory use of face coverings in more indoor public spaces, and will be implementing further regulations for the hospitality sector. Many of these measures should already be in place as part of the guidance, but in order to keep the sector open – safely – we are now placing them in law.

“We are the frontline in making sure that Covid doesn’t spread, and so we all need to keep doing the right things.”

The Scottish COVID-19 Workbook has also been published. It brings into one place advice on how local and national public health agencies will provide support to prevent virus spread, together with advice on outbreak management.

Alongside the workbook the Scottish Government will publish ‘Sector Advice Cards’ that details how different sectors can take action to prevent the spread of the virus, avoid outbreaks, reporting and helping to manage outbreaks. The first Sector Advice Card for schools was published yesterday.

Further detail on the mandatory collection of contact information of people in hospitality sectors will be published next week.

First Minister’s fury over Aberdeen footballers COVID spike

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon’s media briefing in St Andrew’s House, yesterday (Friday 7 August):

Good afternoon, and thanks for joining us. I’ll start with the usual update on the most recent Covid-19 statistics for Scotland.

I can confirm that an additional 43 positive cases were confirmed yesterday. That represents 0.9% of the people who were newly tested yesterday, and it takes the total number of cases in Scotland to 18,890

A full health board breakdown will be available later, but the provisional information I have is that 27 of the 43 cases are in the Grampian health board area.

It is not yet clear how many are connected to the ongoing outbreak in Aberdeen and I will say a little bit more about the situation there shortly.

A further 5 cases appear to be in the Greater Glasgow & Clyde area, which is a reduction in the numbers we have seen there in recent days. 

A total of 262 patients are currently in hospital with confirmed Covid-19, which is 8 fewer than yesterday.

A total of 4 people are in intensive care with confirmed Covid-19. That is the same as yesterday.

I’m also pleased to say that, in the past 24 hours, yet again no deaths were registered of patients who had tested positive for Covid-19 over the previous 28 days and therefore the number of deaths under that measurement remains 2,491.

Obviously the total number of deaths is still a sharp reminder of the dreadful impact of this virus and my condolences once again go to everyone who has suffered loss.

As always, I also want to thank everyone working hard to help our country through this pandemic. 

The main points I want to cover today are the outbreak in Aberdeen, but I also want to say something about further measures that we’re going to take to reduce the risk of transmission. 

The Economy Secretary will then say a few words about business support. And the Chief Medical Officer will give an update on this year’s seasonal flu vaccination programme.

Before all that, though, I want to draw your attention to an important announcement made last night.

The Scottish Government has taken the decision to add three additional countries to the list of those that are subject to quarantine restrictions.  Those countries are Belgium, Andorra and the Bahamas. 

Each of these countries has seen a significant rise in Covid cases, over recent days.   

So from tomorrow, people travelling to Scotland from those countries must self-isolate for 14 days. 

This is another reminder of how quickly the international situation can change.  And it’s why I would once again remind everyone to think very carefully about booking non-essential foreign travel.

Let me return now to the situation we’re dealing with in Aberdeen. I can confirm that – as of now – a total of 101 cases have been confirmed as part of that cluster.  That is an increase of 22 on the position reported yesterday.

And a total of 313 close contacts have now been identified and are being followed up – although we expect that number to rise further.

It was also confirmed yesterday that two players from Aberdeen Football Club are among those who have tested positive. In addition, a further six players have been identified as having been in close proximity with one of those individuals and they are all therefore self isolating.

It is now clear that all eight players visited a bar in Aberdeen on Saturday night.  In doing so, they blatantly broke the rules that had been agreed, between the SFA, the SPFL and the Scottish Government which, to put it mildly, is completely unacceptable.

This morning, the Scottish Government convened a meeting with the SFA and the SPFL.  And following those discussions, the football authorities have confirmed that the game against St Johnston – scheduled for tomorrow in Perth – will not now go ahead.

I think that is the right decision. We are expecting members of the public to behave in a highly precautionary manner right now.

When a football club ends up with players infected – and not through bad luck, but through clear breaches of the rules – we cannot take even a small risk that they then spread the infection to other parts of the country.

The Scottish Government will also be contacting all club captains and managers to emphasise the importance of complying with the guidance.

Let me emphasise that directly now. Football has been given the go ahead on the strict condition that clubs and players abide by the guidance that has been agreed. If they don’t do that, they put at risk the return of the professional game.

So I welcome Aberdeen’s statement that they have reminded players of their obligations. That’s important – footballers are role models and they should behave accordingly.

But it’s also important to remind the club – and indeed all clubs – of the obligation they have to ensure that their players are behaving responsibly and in line with the guidance.

Now, to say that this incident is deeply regrettable is an understatement. 

But it underlines an extremely important point. 

Any time one of us fails to abide by the rules, we put others at risk.  And we give this virus the chance to come roaring back. 

That’s something we can’t afford to do.  We’ve seen – every day of this outbreak – how easily Covid can spread.   So we do need to do everything we can to stop it in its tracks.

That’s why we have taken such decisive action in Aberdeen.  The new restrictions are designed to minimize the risk of transmission – as we get the bottom of this incident. 

These measures are tough – but they are necessary – especially at a time when schools are about to return. 

So I want to thank the people of  Aberdeen for your understanding – and for doing the right thing.  It is hugely appreciated.

The situation in Aberdeen is extremely challenging.  And our focus is on getting it under control.

At the same time, we want to learn the lessons of this outbreak.  We have  seen similar outbreaks in countries around the world. And it’s clear that a common factor in many of them is a link to hospitality.

We’ve always known that settings such as pubs and bars are particularly susceptible to the spread of this virus.  That’s why we held back the reopening of hospitality until a later phase.  It’s also why we staggered the reopening of hospitality – with outdoor venues opening first. 

We’ve also got clear guidance for the hospitality sector, on how it could operate safely.  Among other things, the guidance set out important advice on things like physical distancing, cleaning and hygiene arrangements, and the collection of customer details.  

Now, it’s very clear many businesses have complied very strictly with those kinds of measures, and I’ve very grateful to them for that.  However, we also know there are some where that has not been the case.  

The Scottish Government is determined to do everything we can to prevent further outbreaks.  And we want to ensure that our hospitality sector can continue to remain open. That’s why today I’m announcing two further measures.

The first is that we now intend to make it mandatory for a range of settings, including hospitality businesses, to collect customer details.

That requirement already exists in guidance, but we are now placing it on a statutory footing.    And it should help to ensure that our Test and Protect system can function as effectively as possible.

Second, we intend to issue new statutory guidance relating to indoor hospitality. 

We’ll set out more detail on this next week, but the aim is to ensure greater compliance with some of the key public health measures – such as physical distancing. And we will work closely with Police Scotland and local environmental health teams to explain these measures – and if necessary, enforce compliance.

Both these changes will take affect from next Friday.  And they will help to clarify exactly what is required of the hospitality industry. However, I want to be emphasise that businesses should already be doing these things.  So if you’re not – don’t wait till next week, start complying now:

Premises should be collecting and keeping contact details.

Wherever possible, people should pre-book tables in advance.  And there should be no queueing. 

People should be seated, with table service.

Customers should not be standing together to watch football, dancing, or queuing at the bar. 

There should be no queueing outside either. If it is unavoidable for any reason, those in queues should be physically distanced.  

And there should be no background music – or volume from the TV.  We don’t want people having to shout or lean in to each other in order to be heard.

Our hospitality businesses obviously have a vital role to play in making premises safe. But as I said yesterday, we are all the first line of defence against this virus. So please think about your own actions.

No more than three households should be meeting together in places like bars and restaurants at any one time.   People from different households should be staying physically distant from each other at all times.

The final update I want to cover today concerns the use of face coverings.

At the moment, the use of face coverings is mandatory in shops and on public transport.  And we are very satisfied that the vast majority of people are complying with those requirements, and I want to thank the public for that.

When it comes to other enclosed spaces, we currently advise people to wear face coverings.  But we have not made it mandatory.

However, as come further out of lockdown, the risks are. More people are out and about.  More places have reopened.  And more people are gathering together.

So as a precautionary measure, I am announcing today that we are expanding the range of indoor premises where people must wear a face covering.   

From tomorrow, that list will include venues like libraries, museums, and places of worship.   You’ll be able to find more detail on exactly which kinds of premises are covered, on the Scottish Government website.  

I can also confirm today that we are updating our guidance on face visors.  Based on the latest scientific evidence, we are not convinced that a face visor on its own provides sufficient protection – to the wearer or to others. 

So again from tomorrow, if a visor is worn it must be accompanied by another type of face covering.

These changes will help to reduce some of the risks that people face, and they are not any of them being made lightly. However, it’s important to remember that face coverings are just one additional form of protection.  We still must observe all of the other public health guidelines. 

So to close today,  as usual I want to remind you – once again – of the FACTS, the five rules that we all must follow to stay safe:

  • Face coverings in enclosed spaces
  • Avoid crowded places.
  • Clean your hands and hard surfaces regularly.
  • Two metre distancing remains the overall rule.
  • and self isolate, and book a test, if you have symptoms.

If we all comply with these five golden rules then we reduce the risk of this virus spreading and taking hold of us again, so my thanks to everyone who is complying and, as always, my encouragement to those who may need to take greater care in doing so.

Beer gardens staying closed “a bitter blow”

The announcement by the First Minister that outdoor areas in Scotland’s pubs and bars are to remain closed was met with shock and dismay by the Scottish Licensed Trade Association.

SLTA Managing Director, Colin Wilkinson said: “The First Minister’s announcement today is a bitter blow for Scotland’s Hospitality Sector, which expected to be able to now kick-start the rebuilding of the industry.

“With the decision now delayed until the 2nd of July, operators face another anxious period for the survival of their businesses. This may also have a knock-on effect for the re-opening of indoor areas, originally planned, all being well, for the 15th of July.

“This delay, hypothetically only 2 weeks before full reopening may be possible, with social distancing measures in place, again brings into question whether these first steps, for those who have an outdoor area or the potential to have one, will actually help businesses to start recovering from this pandemic.

“With Government guidelines due to be published soon, hospitality businesses will have very little lead-in time to prepare for complying with guidance for outdoor areas, and that alone causes problems, especially on social distancing parameters, which look like remaining at 2m, and toilet provision for customers seated outdoors.

“Research shows that unless the 2m social distancing parameters are reduced, the potential reductions in capacity could be as high as 87%.

”Without question, health and safety must come before profit, but the First Minister’s comment that ‘there is emerging evidence that places such as pubs, restaurants and gyms can be hotspots for transmission” will do nothing to alleviate customer confidence in returning to our pubs and bars.

“Already a recent survey to gauge how people feel about life post-lock down, revealed that 62% of people were unlikely to return to bars and restaurants for some time yet. The challenge of rebuilding our industry just got harder.

“The need for ongoing support for the industry is now even greater with the announcement that outdoor areas will remain closed for at least another two weeks.

“Ongoing and increased support for the months ahead is essential and when the industry does start to rebuild, Governments, both north and south of the border, must not see this as a marker to further reduce support for the industry.”

A survey of 22,000 pub goers and beer drinkers across the UK polled by the consumer organisation CAMRA, the Campaign for Real Ale, has found that two thirds of people are confident to get back down the pub when their local re-open. 

The survey found that 65% had confidence in going back to pubs, with only 4% saying they were ‘extremely unconfident’ about returning to their local.

The news comes as the UK Government confirmed that pubs are likely to start re-opening from 4th July and the Scottish Government stating that pubs north of the border can begin to re-open from 15th July.

CAMRA National Chairman Nik Antona said: “We know that during lockdown people have really missed going to their local to enjoy a pint with family and friends.

“It’s really encouraging hat our survey shows most people are confident that they can safely return to pubs, whether that’s outside in beer gardens or inside following social distancing measures.

“As pubs re-open in the next few weeks in England and then in Scotland it is essential, they get support from local communities – especially as many will face reduced trade as a result of social distancing. 

“For people who can’t get to their local, because they’re shielding, and for those pubs that can’t re-open, because they are smaller or because their space isn’t suitable, CAMRA will continue to support those pubs offering take-away and delivery services while things get back to normal.

“Over the next few weeks, I’d like to encourage everyone to play their part in helping pubs get back on their feet either by supporting them in person or from your own home. Now, more than ever, we need to use our pubs or else risk losing them forever.”

CAMRA’s beer ordering app ‘Brew2You’ to allows people to order take-aways and deliveries from pubs in their area, whilst the ‘Pulling Together’ campaign page at www.camra.org.uk/pullingtogether lists services from pubs, breweries and cider producers across the country.

Last orders? CAMRA responds to extended lockdown

Responding to the Scottish Government’s strategy to exit lockdown measures, which state that gathering in pubs is likely to be banned or restricted ‘for some time to come’, CAMRA Director for Scotland Sarah Crawford said: “While the Government must follow scientific advice and do what is right to keep people safe, this will undoubtedly be a huge blow for pubs and breweries. 

“The pub and brewing sector was among the first to be hit by the lockdown and it is set to be among the last to get back to normality. One thing many people are looking forward to when all this is over is going down the pub to meet friends and family for a drink.

If the Scottish and UK Governments do not make sure that our local pubs and breweries receive all the financial support that they need to weather this crisis, we risk not having them around at all when all this is over.”

Road to Recovery? Council Leader chairs tourism roundtable

Experts from across Edinburgh’s tourism and hospitality industries have been brought together by the Council to discuss the impact of the coronavirus on the city’s visitor economy.

In what is the first in a series of meetings with key sectors, members of ETAG, Edinburgh Airport, Festivals Edinburgh, Visit Scotland, Essential Edinburgh and the Chamber of Commerce joined a virtual roundtable this week (Thursday 16 April) chaired by Council Leader Adam McVey to kickstart work on a city recovery plan.

During the tourism oversight group’s first meeting, the sector:

  • Reaffirmed its commitment to the aims of Edinburgh’s new Tourism Strategy – a 10 year plan which focuses on managing tourism and balancing the needs of local residents, businesses and visitors.
  • Discussed initial ideas for economic recovery in the sector, including options for recovering local footfall and business tourism once lockdown measures have been eased.
  • Agreed to carry out urgent work in a number of priority areas, which will be reviewed when the group meets again in three weeks’ time.

Council Leader, Adam McVey, said: “There is a real willingness from all sides and sectors to use our city’s strengths as a platform for working together over the coming months so that we can recover from this global emergency.

“It is so important to the future of our Capital that we remain committed to sustainable and responsible tourism when businesses open again and keep our focus on the priorities we agreed last November – to put our people, place and environment at the heart of our plans.

“We entered this outbreak with Edinburgh’s key sectors and local businesses in good health. I believe this will stand us in good stead as our City and economy recovers. Our contribution to the world, whether it’s the arts or academia, has been enormous and we know it’s left a strong impression on so many people’s experience of our Capital.

“The road to recovery may be long, but tourism is an important engine for Edinburgh’s economy. We’ll need to work together to share the benefits of tourism across Edinburgh, and our new tourism strategy is central to achieving this.”

Donald Emslie, Chair of the Edinburgh Tourism Action Group (ETAG), said: “This week’s meeting was extremely welcome, as it demonstrated the Council’s recognition of the huge challenges that the tourism sector is facing and the need for a positive and proactive response.

“ETAG will be playing a leading role in this and engaging with the tourism industry and key stakeholders to ensure that we work together as “Team Edinburgh” to support the development and delivery of the recovery plan.”

Depute Leader Cammy Day added: “Tourism has been an important topic of conversation in our city for a long time and residents’ feedback over the last 12 months helped us to shape Edinburgh’s new Tourism Strategy.

“This feedback and the ambitions of this 10 year plan need to remain central to our efforts and those of everyone in the sector, as we seek to help Edinburgh recover economically.

“We’ve always been proud to be a small city which made it big on the world stage – a place which is recognised as an enviable city to live in and visit. When these difficult times are behind us, we look forward to being able to come together once again to sample all that makes Edinburgh the inspiring place it is.

“Managing this will involve a range of measures to support the sector and workers, and we’re committed to working together to put a strong recovery plan in place.”

The group’s findings will inform a citywide recovery plan, which will involve senior Councillors and Council officers seeking feedback from industry leaders across various sectors.

Earlier this month, the Convener of Housing, Homelessness and Economy Chaired a meeting of Edinburgh’s Economic Advisory Panel featuring business leaders and major employers, to gather views on the impacts to Edinburgh business of coronavirus.

Such work will continue as we coordinate findings and next steps for Edinburgh’s recovery strategy.