Kate Nicholls: don’t hold out hope for furlough extension

Kate Nicholls has warned operators against falling foul of government by not complying with coronavirus safety guidelines - and said the prospect of the furlough scheme being extended looks bleak. Speaking to MCA as part of its virtual event The Conversation, the UK Hospitality CEO said as the prime minister’s five point roadmap looks set to move from three to two, which would enable more relaxation of social distancing restrictions, her “big plea is to make sure that we are all rigorous in terms of test and trace, all vigilant about the two household rule, and we stay on top of social distancing. The enforcement measures have been toughened up to fine people if they are not abiding by the rules, and it’s in all our vested interests to help those businesses in the night time economy reopen more quickly.