The news that nightclubs will have to close from 27 December in both Scotland and Wales has been blasted by Rekom UK chairman Peter Marks as being yet “more baseless restrictions”.
He told MCA that the new rules served as political messaging for the 1.5% of the hospitality sector that can call itself a nightclub.
Rekom UK operates several venues in both countries, including Atik in Aberdeen, Edinburgh and Wrexham, Pryzm in Cardiff and Fiction in Swansea.
“Clubs are no worse than other indoor settings despite the repeated bleating from around the world that they are.
“They should be risk assessed and alongside government protocols such as vaccine passports should be as safe as any other settings; with 15 air changes an hour actually being an advantage,” commented Marks.
“It’s another kick in the teeth to the beleaguered sector.”
Marks said that since it reopened on 19 July that had been an 80% reduction in cases in the 20-29 age group, “showing that nightclubs and even our wider hospitality industry are not to blame”.
He added that no bail-out was ever more than window dressing and the industry has to hope that the English government and its stance of waiting for the evidence leads us to being able to continue in England. “This is what Plan B was designed to do.”
Earlier this week the Night Time Industries Association (NTIA) revealed that one third of nightlife businesses fear going under within one month without urgent government support, according to the results of a new survey.
