Hospitality Ulster warns Executive that tens of thousands of jobs at risk unless lockdown restrictions are lifted

That stark warning came after the first and deputy first ministers announced a further easing of the coronavirus lockdown yesterday.

Arlene Foster and Michelle O’Neill, speaking as people across Ulster took full advantage of the more relaxed rules put in place earlier this month by flocking to beaches and parks amid blistering sunshine, said the next steps to ease the lockdown will begin on June 8.

They announced new arrangements for retailers, hotels and weddings will be put in place unless the virus begins spreading more quickly.

But the new measures were met with a degree of confusion and disappointment from industry bodies including the Belfast Chamber of Commerce, the Northern Ireland Hoteliers Federation and Hospitality Ulster.

The chief executive of Hospitality Ulster, Colin Neill, told the News Letter he would have liked to have seen the latest relaxation of the rules go much further.

“Without a date to open, we’re days away from starting to lay off tens of thousands,” he said.

“We have a 90-day redundancy period so if we don’t have a date coming (for reopening), we’re going to have start putting people on notice.”

The first and deputy first ministers said hotels will soon be allowed to take bookings – but no date for reopening was given.

Londonderry Chamber of Commerce chief executive Paul Clancy described that announcement as “contradictory”, while the Northern Ireland Hoteliers Federation said it “only adds to the confusion”.

Belfast Chamber of Commerce chief executive Simon Hamilton welcomed the move to allow some retailers to open but said “urgent clarification” is needed on the new rules.

The Executive Office at Stormont said shops with “direct street access or direct access within a retail park” will be allowed to open, as will “non-food retail outlets with lower frequency customer visits” and those with “a greater propensity for larger store areas”.

Responding, Mr Hamilton said: “This is good news for the retailers who will now be able to open from June 8.

“It is frustrating though for those who will have to wait a little longer.”

He continued: “The announcement requires some urgent clarification.

“It is not clear what exactly is meant by a store with lower frequency custom and what constitutes a larger store. That clarity needs to come quickly as stores need time to prepare to open in a way that is safe for staff and customers as that is of absolute importance.”

Janice Gault, the chief executive of the Northern Ireland Hotels Federation, said her organisation is “disappointed” with the measures announced yesterday.

She added: “Advising hotels that they can take advance bookings without a date only adds to the confusion around when hotels can actually open.

“Taking a hotel booking on an ‘on spec’ basis without any agreed pathway is a far from ideal situation.

“It makes it very difficult to plan, budget and set guidelines for the sector.”

Mr Neill said that the announcement “doesn’t actually mean anything”.

Mr Clancy welcomed the news for retailers, but added: “The news that hotels can now take advance bookings, but without a date of when they can reopen to guests, is contradictory.

“This will frustrate many hoteliers and lead to confusion within the wider hospitality sector. More clarity is needed over whether this will happen as soon as the end of July – as is planned in the Republic of Ireland – or whether it will be at a later date.”

Mr Neill insisted that it is possible for the hospitality industry to reopen safely with social distancing measures in place.

“We could have physical partitions between tables, we could have people kept two metres apart, we can have apps so people can order from their phones while sitting at the tables,” he said.

“Social distancing is possible.

“We should also be looking at outdoor space. Why not cafe culture? Covered markets in town centres? Why is meeting in groups of six in somewhere like a park permitted but meeting in a large beer garden is not?”

He added: “The clock is ticking.”

TUV MLA Jim Allister, meanwhile, accused the Stormont Executive of “indecision and muddle”.

Other measures announced yesterday included allowing weddings with no more than 10 people present, the reopening of outdoor retailers such as car and agricultural equipment dealerships, and allowing people to travel to care for animals.