Majority of hospitality operators say they cannot operate in tier 2

According to Lumina Intelligence’s latest Hospitality Leaders Poll of 326 pubs, restaurant and food-to-go operators, 56% of businesses say the tough restrictions in tier 2 are unworkable.

Under the rules, restaurants and pubs can only serve alcohol as part of a ‘substantial meal’, people from different households cannot meet in venues except for business purposes and venues have to stop serving at 10pm, with all customers having to vacate the premises at 11pm.

Parts of the country that will go into tier 2 next month​​ include Cumbria,  Liverpool, Northamptonshire, London, Surrey and Dorset.

In addition, 60% of businesses say they would rather stay closed over Christmas than risk extended lockdown measures going into Spring,

Businesses also say they don’t believe the hour extension of the curfew to 11pm will have a positive impact on trading, with just under a third (31%) saying it will have ‘little’ or ‘no’ impact.

The percentage of hospitality operators asked who are ‘not confident’ in the future of their business worsened from 38% to 54% week on week.

The weekly poll is conducted by Lumina Intelligence for BigHospitality, Restaurant, MCA, and The MA.