Under threat: hospitality sector in Inverness preparing for the worst as Omicron Covid-19 variant takes hold and fears businesses and jobs are on the line with many cancelling festive parties in the Highlands

Hospitality venues across Inverness are facing another challenging festive season as bookings start to be impacted by the latest public health advice.

Last week Public Health Scotland (PHS) urged people to cancel Christmas parties as the new Omicron variant of Covid-19 began to take hold.

That plea was supported by First Minister Nicola Sturgeon who predicted “a tsunami” of Omicron cases to come across Scotland.

Just as things were starting to look more positive again the latest developments have proved a bitter pill to swallow for many.

Jo de Sylva, owner of MacGregor’s Bar in Academy Street, said a number of bookings there had already been cancelled, including a 60th birthday party planned for December 28.

She added: “This means that the three musicians booked for this event have also been cancelled – and two tables for separate work Christmas parties have also been cancelled.”

She said that while she understood the scale of the challenge she felt the latest advice was confusing.

“‘Don’t have Christmas parties or gatherings, but don’t stop going out’ is another indication that there is no clear message,” she said.

“Christmas and new year bookings and sales account for around 30 per cent of most hospitality venues’ annual turnover.

“To have an announcement like this made at this time of year means that many people are cancelling parties and get togethers and many hospitality venues will not survive into the new year.

“It’s imperative that the Scottish Government put emergency measures in place to mitigate the losses to the hospitality industry and put out a clear message to either remain open or shut the doors.”

Gavin Stevenson, director of the Mor-Rioghain Group which owns The Gellions bar in Inverness, also called for government support to safeguard jobs.

“It is now clear the Scottish Government have left the sector open in name only – technically open, but telling our customers not to come, just as Boris Johnson did back in March 2020,” he said.

“Our sector has now seen a critical decline in festive season trade, resulting in a threat to the very survival of Scottish small businesses and 100,000 jobs.”

Tony Story, the managing director of Patio Hotels which owns both the Kingsmills and Ness Bank hotels in Inverness, said they were getting quite a few cancellations while Emmanuel Moine, manager of the Glen Mhor Hotel and Apartments, said the new advice did not quite represent a step back to square one – but was not far off it.

“We were almost back to normal last month, suddenly business is going low,” he said.

David Richardson, the Federation of Small Businesses’ Highlands and Islands development manager, said: “Clearly the rapid spread of the Omicron variant is worrying us all, and while health experts establish the precise level of threat that it presents, and politicians agonise over how best to protect the country, many businesses, and especially those in tourism and hospitality, retail and other customer-facing trades, will be deeply worried at what is happening. For it’s not just about deferring Christmas parties, extremely damaging to the businesses concerned though this be.

“It’s about the way the general public reacts to the words of the First Minister, Public Health Scotland and others. What impact will they have on the desire of shoppers and others to go out and about in the run-up to Christmas, and on the businesses that depend on them?”

Last week NHS Highland issued a reminder to people of the things they can do to keep themselves and others safe including taking regular lateral flow tests, particularly before mixing with other households, and staying at home if the test is positive.

People are also being encouraged to meet others outdoors, to work from home if possible and to book an appointment for a Covid-19 vaccine or booster.