{"id":4262,"date":"2021-06-18T13:33:00","date_gmt":"2021-06-18T13:33:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.eatmcr.co.uk\/?p=4262"},"modified":"2021-06-18T13:33:01","modified_gmt":"2021-06-18T13:33:01","slug":"staff-shortages-forced-closures-and-waning-support-the-reality-of-extended-restrictions-for-hospitality","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.eatmcr.co.uk\/news\/staff-shortages-forced-closures-and-waning-support-the-reality-of-extended-restrictions-for-hospitality\/","title":{"rendered":"Staff shortages, forced closures and waning support: the reality of extended restrictions for hospitality"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Once again, it began as a rumour. Murmurings over the weekend that 21 June – “freedom day” – was perhaps not going to go ahead as planned.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

By Monday, the leaked information once again seemed to be a (poor) attempt to soften the blow of the news, to prepare people and businesses for the inevitable evening announcement where Boris Johnson would confirm the four week extension of the current restrictions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You may think that now most hospitality businesses are able to reopen, that things should be returning back to normal. But while we’re certainly not living under a full lockdown, the continued restrictions are having a huge impact on hospitality businesses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Under the current restrictions, one in four hospitality businesses is unable to open. For those who can, it’s a struggle to break even.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Hospitality businesses can reopen but, for many, it’s a struggle to break even<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The hospitality industry had previously warned that a four week delay could cost businesses \u00a33bn and put 200,000 jobs at risk. And, although restrictions will continue until at least 19 July, Rishi Sunak confirmed that the support packages which have been helping business stay afloat will start to be reduced from 1 July as originally planned.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

From this date, employers will have to contribute 10% of a furloughed employees wage, rising to 20% in August. On the same day, the business rates holiday will end. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Two days after the announcement, it was finally announced that the rent moratorium preventing commercial tenants from being evicted due to not paying their rent, which was due to end on 30 June has now been extended until March 2022.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We can already see the impact of the current restrictions on venues, many of which are having to reduce their capacity further or, in some cases, close their doors due to members of staff being asked to isolate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Evelyn’s in the Northern Quarter had to close for seven days<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

One of the businesses that was forced to close recently is Evelyn’s Cafe Bar<\/a> in the Northern Quarter, who last week announced on Instagram that they would have to close due to various members of staff being asked to self isolate. They reopened yesterday after seven days of closure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ben Reilly, General Manager for Evelyn’s, said:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“It was really unfortunate – as a small team in an independent business, any staff absence obviously has a much greater impact. We’ve built a really strong group of colleagues who were genuinely gutted to be unable to work, which\u00a0seems to be quite a rarity. Luckily none of our staff actually tested positive for Covid at any point, we just had enough of them receive self isolation notifications to make it impossible for us to open.”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Mackie Mayor<\/a>, which houses nine operators under its roof, also had to close earlier this week. Nick Johnson, head of market operations, said about the decision to close:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“That’s never a decision that is taken lightly, especially after being closed 9 out of the last 12 months, support packages ceasing and rates bills being issued! But it\u2019s safety first and when one member of the team tests positive that knocks out a two whole shifts of full time members of staff for 10 days. By Monday we had 35 member of staff out of action due to track and trace. I know that it’s a problem affecting a lot of hospitality business in Manchester at the moment.”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Mackie Mayor has now managed “by hook and by crook” to get their doors back open today. A post on their Instagram reads “You might have to put up with a few rookie runners together with familiar faces from behind the kitchen counters swapping crocs for docs – serving as well as cooking your food. One way or another this COVID thang ain’t gonna keep old Mackie down.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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A post shared by Mackie Mayor (@mackiemayor)<\/a><\/p><\/div><\/blockquote>