Hotels and meetings and event venues in England will be able to
reopen from 17 May, after UK Prime minister Boris Johnson said that the data on
the state of the pandemic supported the further reopening of the economy. However the reopening may come too late for businesses in the hotels and events sector, an industry association has warned.
Johnson said in last night's statement to parliament, “With deaths and
hospitalisations at their lowest levels since last July, and the UK’s four Chief
Medical Officers agreeing a reduction in the alert level, the data now
supports moving to step 3 in England from next Monday 17 May”.
The announcement means that from that date, hotels and meetings and events venues will be
able to reopen. On the same date, up to six people will be able to meet in restaurants and
bars.
Johnson added, “Subject to the impact of step 3 on the data, we
remain on track to move to step 4 on 21 June”.
Hoteliers have welcomed the news. Stephen Cassidy, managing director, Hilton UK & Ireland, said: “We are delighted to be preparing to welcome back guests to our properties in England, after what has been the toughest year in the hospitality industry. This is a crucial step to kickstarting...a meaningful recovery for the sector."
However, the HBAA has warned that despite the reopening of hotels
and meetings venues, the sector still faces a difficult time.
Juliet Price, consultant executive director of HBAA, said: “At
last the meetings, events and accommodation sector has the confirmation that it
desperately needed to give planners, travellers and delegates the confidence to
commit to bookings.
"Sadly, despite this good news, new pressures on agencies may lead to further redundancies and further business impacts. Many are facing the issue of the increase of the employers’ share of furlough payments and having to start repaying Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS) loans. These have come upon them several months before payments from clients reach their bank accounts. An average of 39 per cent of agency jobs have already been lost during the first 12 months of the pandemic – there is a severe danger of more.”