UK Hospitality CEO Kate Nicholls: Signs point to imminent reduction in distancing

Operators can be fairly confident the Government will confirm both the 4 July reopening date and a reduction in the two metre distancing rule tomorrow, UK Hospitality CEO Kate Nicholls has suggested.

Speaking at MCA’s The Conversation, Nicholls said that whilst she didn’t want to “jinx” anything, all signs point to the Government confirming the proposed date and a reduction in social distancing either in or before tomorrow’s (23 June) evening briefing.

Following a series of suggestions from various government officials last week that they were keen to make an announcement on distancing, Nicholls said it would be “very odd” if they were to step back from reducing the distancing measure at this stage.

And with the Prime Minister said to be meeting with both his Cobra committee and SAGE today (22 June) to discuss the potential of reducing the two metre distancing rule, Nicholls reassured attendees that “the signals are definitely there” for an imminent announcement on the issue.

“I really do feel it is going to happen,” she said. “We will get a confirmation about changes to the social distancing rules, the one metre versus two metre, and also an announcement about reopening hospitality.”

“Crucially we should also be finding out which bits of those businesses across the broad swathe of hospitality will be allowed to reopen.”

As well as the announcement, Nicholls said the Government is also likely to release its covid-secure guidance for hospitality businesses, providing operators with some clarity on reopening less than two weeks before the proposed date.

“There is quite a lot of information that is likely to be published at the same time,” she said.

“The government guidance is likely to be published tomorrow and [UK Hospitality] will then publish our industry protocols which provide best practice advice and guidance on mitigation measures for risk control.”

“But I can’t guarantee that absolutely every single bit of hospitality will be open on 4 July,” she added. “That’s the bit where there’s still some uncertainty.”

“Most of it will be, but we know some bits won’t and some activities won’t, so that’s something I can’t guarantee.”