Covid vaccine passports are 'devastating' for business, trade body tells MSPs, as Scotland considers expanding scheme to cinemas and theatres
- Scottish government is considering expanding Covid vaccine passport scheme
- Cinemas, theatres and 'licensed hospitality venues' could be given restrictions
- But today hospitality experts warns of 'devastating' impact of rule on venues
- Over 80% of operators surveyed said their trade was down by more than 10%
- But MSP told Scottish Parliament that trade body could be 'crying wolf'
Hospitality bosses have warned of the 'devastating' impact for business of vaccine passports in Scotland, saying the scheme has led to declines in trade of more than 20 per cent.
The Scottish Government is considering expanding the scheme to cinemas, theatres and other 'licensed hospitality venues', with a final decision due on Tuesday.
The passport system, introduced in October, currently applies to nightclubs, adult entertainment venues and various mass attendance events indoors and outdoors.
There was concern the rule change could even stretch to pubs and restaurants but it appears this proposal has been shelved by First Minister Nicola Sturgeon.
But industry experts say the news has caused 'widespread alarm across hospitality' because of the expected loss in business.
Hospitality bosses have warned of the 'devastating' impact for business of vaccine passports in Scotland, saying the scheme has led to declines in trade of more than 20 per cent
One MSP however hit back at the claim by the Scottish Licensed Trade Association (SLTA), suggesting at a Holyrood committee today that it was overstating the case and 'crying wolf'.
Organisations representing hospitality businesses gave evidence to the Scottish Parliament's Covid-19 Recovery Committee this morning.
Gavin Stevenson, of the SLTA, told the committee: 'The five trade bodies in Scotland surveyed members last week to ascertain what the economic impact of the current version of vaccine passports had been.
'And it was little short of devastating for a substantial proportion of businesses.'
The Scottish passport system, introduced in October, currently applies to nightclubs, adult entertainment venues and various mass attendance events indoors and outdoors.
The survey of more than 200 business owners and operators found 83 per cent said trade was down by more than 10 per cent from pre-pandemic levels.
Of those enforcing the vaccine passport policy, 95 per cent said they had been negatively impacted. Some 87 per cent said trade had decreased by more than 20 per cent.
Mr Stevenson continued: 'There's a direct correlation there between the implementation of vaccine passports and a substantial and unsustainable decrease in trade.
'So any proposed extension of the scheme is deeply unwelcome from the sector.'
Leon Thompson, Scottish executive director of UK Hospitality, said news of a possible expansion of the scheme had caused 'widespread alarm across hospitality'.
The First Minister told Holyrood that her administration will decide next week whether restrictions currently in force should be tightened from December 6.
Committee member John Mason addressed Mr Stevenson, saying: 'Do you not think you've been slightly overstating your case - and a certain amount of crying wolf?
'And people are not taking you seriously because you use such strong language like 'devastating' and so on?'
Mr Mason said he had been to pubs and restaurants which were 'absolutely full'.
Mr Stevenson responded, saying these were areas of hospitality not currently covered by the vaccine passport scheme.
He said industry organisations in other countries which had implemented vaccine passports, such as the National Federation of French Cinemas, had also reported a decline in trade.
Mr Stevenson said: 'This has been the experience not just in Scotland, but elsewhere.
'That vaccine passports, when you put barriers between customers and businesses, that it results inevitably in a substantial loss of trade.'
