WETHERSPOONS boss Tim Martin has warned pubs and restaurants face being wiped out – with up to a million jobs on the line.

 

The hospitality industry could be left in ruins as tighter local measures are introduced to fight the coronavirus and a second national lockdown lasting two weeks could be on the cards.

 

the boss of JD Wetherspoon, which employs 43,000 people in its pubs and hotels, said many smaller venues had already gone to the wall after the first lockdown.

 

He said further restrictions would be “even more devastating," The Times reports.

 

Kate Nicholls, the chief executive of lobby group UK Hospitality, said some 900,000 workers in the industry are still on furlough and their jobs are currently at risk as Prime Minister Boris Johnson brings in restrictions in parts of the UK to battle a second wave of Covid-19.

 

 

Pub chains want Chancellor Rishi Sunak to continue the furlough scheme which is due to run out at the end of October as well as slash beer duty and extend the cut in VAT.

 

Mr Johnson is currently looking at a “circuit break” closure which would effectively mean the country goes into a national lockdown for two weeks, as the number of coronavirus cases has rocketed in recent days.

 

The number of new cases topped 4,000 on Friday.

 

Nick Mackenzie, chief executive of Greene King, which oversees 2,700 pubs, restaurants and hotels, said the government needed to extend the furlough scheme and provide extra support to protect jobs.

 

He said: “The sector is fighting for survival - we are already seeing pubs in areas where there are additional restrictions are performing less well, especially those in Scotland.

 

“New measures such as a 10pm curfew will cause further damage and hit city-centre pubs most, especially in London.”

 

While the recent Eat Out to Help Out scheme gave a boost to the industry Nicholls said venues where local curfews had been imposed had suffered a 40-50 per cent reduction in trade.

 

Nicholls said: “There are 900,000 people currently still receiving full furlough: that is the quantum of jobs at risk, given that furlough runs out in October and you would need to start redundancy discussions in the next couple of weeks.

 

 

 

They’re also planning to fine people from 28th September if they fail to self isolate when testing positive. The only thing that’s gonna do is make people refuse to get tested

Edited September 20, 20204 yr by Hadji

They’re also planning to fine people from 28th September if they fail to self isolate when testing positive. The only thing that’s gonna do is make people refuse to get tested

Which, of course, might be the plan. It's just the sort of cack-handed measure this lot would come up with for reducing the demand for tests rather than increasing supply.

I really don’t understand why people wouldn’t self isolate unless it’d not financially viable

I really don’t understand why people wouldn’t self isolate unless it’d not financially viable

 

As has been said, this is probably a ploy to get fewer people testing so they can brag about the ‘success’ of solving the testing problems.

I really don’t understand why people wouldn’t self isolate unless it’d not financially viable

 

 

Against their Civil Rights to not be allowed out? Some people, even adults are rebellious like that, against laws and the police etc. Did you see the YT vid of the guy on the tube train fighting with BTP? "It is my right as a Citizen not to wear a mask. You can fine me but not arrest me" They were trying to arrest him for assaulting a police officer though.

Edited September 20, 20204 yr by Crazy Chris

@1307363103970004992

Ignore the comment, that graphic is stark. The variance between NI/Scotland and England/Wales is insane. The West Coast of Scotland is where the outbreak is so that’s no surprise that’s the best availability for tests. But the test availability looks solid. NHS Scotland seems to be doing a good job here (note NHS and not outsourced)

 

Indeed - it's pretty poor in Wales too, which also has health devolved... to the Labour Party.

 

There have been similar mistakes in Scotland (deaths in care homes for example) but the messaging has been a lot more consistent, and ulitmately the perception is that the devolved governments of Scotland, NI and Wales have generally handled the crisis a lot better comparitavely to the UK one. Something that appears to be moving the dial on the support for independence.

 

@1307747561948749836

Supermarkets are urging shoppers not to panic buy with signs this weekend that they're starting to do just that. Some shelves have already been stripped bare. They say they learnt their lesson in March and have plenty of everything to go round now. Toilet roll is flying off the shelves as well as rice, pasta and flour. Some reporting extra meat packs being sold, maybe to freeze.

 

One thing in high demand apparently is Christmas puddings. :lol:

Edited September 21, 20204 yr by Crazy Chris

Indeed - it's pretty poor in Wales too, which also has health devolved... to the Labour Party.

 

There have been similar mistakes in Scotland (deaths in care homes for example) but the messaging has been a lot more consistent, and ulitmately the perception is that the devolved governments of Scotland, NI and Wales have generally handled the crisis a lot better comparitavely to the UK one. Something that appears to be moving the dial on the support for independence.

I think everyone has made mistakes along the way, and sticking to a 4 nation approach for so long was probably an error in hindsight. An earlier lockdown would have made a lot of difference (although I’m not sure it was actually in Holyroods power to do so until the UK Gov passed some of its corona acts).

 

The communication has really made a massive difference I think. Clear, calm and free of three word soundbites. The UK Govs failings have really been laid bare. Not that most of us here weren’t well aware before that they were all incompetent f***wits

So latest news stories are hinting that we're going to have another lockdown (which was inevitable) only this time it could be a six months ban on seeing anyone from another household.

 

Good luck with that

So latest news stories are hinting that we're going to have another lockdown (which was inevitable) only this time it could be a six months ban on seeing anyone from another household.

 

Good luck with that

 

Well even I, who believes in hardline restrictions for Covid to protect the vulnerable, wouldn't go that far yet , but yes only outdoor meetings with one or two people at a time from outside your household should be allowed if things get worse in terms of R Rate.

 

And the mask wearing in shops needs to be enforced better as shops especially supermarkets are where the vulnerable are most likely to catch the virus. Perhaps some sort of non forgeable documentation can be issued to those who can't wear them for health reasons that can be shown to a shop worker on entrance from 2m away. It is very hard though to enforce mask wearing in shops as it puts unfair pressure on shop workers that may already be in a rather stressful job because of Covid to act as police and increases security threats to shop workers.

 

Was a bit disappointed with this recent BBC article as some things in it might encourage the anti-maskers.

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-54228649

 

I know they are trying to give different viewpoints so as to remain unbiased though.

Edited September 21, 20204 yr by Garden Snake

So latest news stories are hinting that we're going to have another lockdown (which was inevitable) only this time it could be a six months ban on seeing anyone from another household.

 

Good luck with that

 

I mean nobody really knows that and I am not sure what the papers are speculating as I'm not sure the journos know yet. And it sounds like Whitty/Valance, Johnson, Rishi, Hancock haven't even made their mind up.

 

I'm stuck between a rock and a hard place here as while we need to do something, I'm not prepared to religiously stick by all the guidelines for 6 months unless everyone else is. That's a personal and possibly selfish choice, but I honestly don't see how they can enforce something. Being able to to go the pub and get smashed but not meet up with another household is ridiculous. Quite simply the super spreaders are being linked back to pubs on the whole. Honestly, as awful as it sounds, I think you have just got to close them.

 

 

Surely the only way they'd get people to stick to rules is if they have an increased presence with police and finings?! There has been literally zero and people getting away with all sorts, if people know they aren't going to get in trouble for it, why would they abide?!

Surely the only way they'd get people to stick to rules is if they have an increased presence with police and finings?! There has been literally zero and people getting away with all sorts, if people know they aren't going to get in trouble for it, why would they abide?!

 

It shouldn't take strict policing and ridiculous fines — what a sad state we're in.

Edited September 21, 20204 yr by blacksquare

It shouldn't take strict policing and ridiculous fines — what a sad state we're in.

 

It shouldn't, but this is the state not only England are in, but the majority of the world too. Unless you have a lockdown and people genuinely fear from dying of Covid (which isn't the case for the majority of the population). I don't know what else can be done without a full lockdown.

 

Fines are there to detour people, but people still urinate in public, speed in the vehicles, hold the phone while drive etc. - they are to act as a deterrent, but I don't think they actually work to stop everything.

It doesn't.

 

They simply need to incentivise staying in rather than punishing going out.

It doesn't.

 

They simply need to incentivise staying in rather than punishing going out.

 

Not sure that will happen though, when the owner of Wetherspoons is one of your donors.

 

Quite simply, I will stick to my own rules and guidelines to keep myself and others safe. You can't ask me to eat out for a month and then tell me I can't see another household for 6 months. It is quite simply not on. This is where the Government have backed themselves in a corner. Quite simply the answer would be to ask everyone to work from home where possible, limit social interactions if you can and avoid large gatherings that are not enforcing social distanced. Otherwise, we are in a right fuff.

It shouldn't take strict policing and ridiculous fines — what a sad state we're in.

I know :( I mean I'm happy to abide by rulings myself if it means keeping people safe and protecting the elderly/vulnerable but unfortunately that isn't enough to make people abide by rulings.

I agree with Rooney that such a drastic change is not going to help,from encouraging people to eat our to not seeing their own family within such a short time frame won't make sense to a lot of people.

 

I'm not sure HOW they could incentivise staying in as it's so hard to regulate and prove but that might help! Maybe a payment to those who do abide to the rules (lol that would never happen) or something along those lines

Yes, a payment, or at least a message of hope.

 

Instead what the gov has done is veered wildly from one end of the spectrum to the next, not sticking to any one message, and at every turn blaming the public while alternately lying or fearmongering doom and gloom and the worst possible outcomes for the foreseeable future.

 

If, from the very start, they had said something like "Please stay inside and isolated for a month. We realise this is a big ask, so here's a blanket 25% off your electric bill for that time. Those who are key workers, here's a raft of 50% off vouchers for restaurants and takeaways. We are investing in mask production to keep us all safe, expect to find a free washable mask in the post per adult on X date. At that point, you can go out again wearing the mask as this will greatly help reduce transmission and risk to you and others around you." everything would have gone 100 times better - and in the long run, that would have cost less too.

 

Now instead they're trying to herd cats once the gate's been left wide open.