Hospitality bosses have warned of the ‘devastating’ impact for business of vaccine passports in Scotland, saying the scheme has led to declines in trade of more than 20 per cent.
Meanwhile, the Scottish ‘Government’ is considering expanding the scheme to cinemas, theatres and other ‘licensed hospitality venues’, with a final decision due on Tuesday.
The passport system, introduced in October, currently applies to nightclubs, adult entertainment venues and various mass attendance events indoors and outdoors.
Gavin Stevenson, of the SLTA, told the committee: ‘The five trade bodies in Scotland surveyed members last week to ascertain what the economic impact of the current version of vaccine passports had been.
‘And it was little short of devastating for a substantial proportion of businesses.’
Mr Stevenson continued: ‘There’s a direct correlation there between the implementation of vaccine passports and a substantial and unsustainable decrease in trade.
‘So any proposed extension of the scheme is deeply unwelcome from the sector.’
Leon Thompson, Scottish executive director of UK Hospitality, said news of a possible expansion of the scheme had caused ‘widespread alarm across hospitality’.
Committee member John Mason addressed Mr Stevenson, saying: ‘Do you not think you’ve been slightly overstating your case – and a certain amount of crying wolf?
‘And people are not taking you seriously because you use such strong language like ‘devastating’ and so on?’
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