Quarter of operators ‘cannot properly adhere to restrictions’

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Survey response: operators have answered questions about implementing Government restrictions

Some 24% of hospitality operators feel they can’t “properly adhere” to the Government’s policies such as the rule of six, saying the rules are difficult to enforce, new research has found.

The latest Hospitality Leaders Poll, conducted by Lumina Intelligence for The Morning Advertiser, MCA, Big Hospitality and Restaurant, surveyed 199 business leaders across the trade. Some 15% also said customers were not playing by the rules.

Respondents were also asked how much of a benefit being able to host business meetings for up to six people in tiers two and three was.

Just over a third (34%) said it was no use at all, a quarter (25%) will see a marginal benefit, 4% said it would have a strong benefit and 3% said it was a lifeline, with 35% unaffected by it.

Rule loophole

This comes after the trade called for clarity over the loophole. UKHospitality boss Kate Nicholls said: ““It is unclear, it’s a real grey area.

“The Government has given an exemption for business meetings up to 30 or meetings or gatherings that are deemed necessary for work purposes, but it’s provided no guidance on where those meetings can take place.

“We’re asking for urgent clarification because in central London, if the working lunch is gone, there’s no trade.”

Survey said

Those surveyed were also asked for their opinion on Government policy and the implementation of the tier system suggestions of a preferential treatment for businesses in the south however, the majority (70%) didn’t think this was the case.

At the time of answering the survey, just over half (52%) of respondents were in tier one, 31% were in tier two and 13% in tier three.

The industry survey has asked respondents how confident they were about the future of their business every week since the outbreak of Covid-19 in the UK.

When asked about the future of their business this week, 52% are not confident, with 48% showing levels of confidence.