The Scottish Beer & Pub Association (SBPA) says more than 200 pubs in Scotland could re-open on 9th August, if restrictions are lifted enabling pubs to trade viably again.
According to the SBPA, though, an estimated 285 pubs in Scotland have closed their doors for good since the start of the pandemic.
The Scottish government is, this week, expected to confirm a removal of restrictions from 9th August, and announce baseline measures.
The SBPA has held recent meetings with the Scottish government and ministers to highlight key restrictions that need to be removed in pubs to make trade viable, while keeping customers safe.
Key for the nation’s pubs is the removal of table-only service and an end to the midnight curfew, which the SBPA says must be removed if Scottish pubs are to trade viably once more.
According to the industry, if these restrictions are removed, pubs can work with the Scottish government on other baseline measures so long as they are workable and maintain business viability.
SBPA chief executive, Emma McClarkin, said: “If heavy restrictions remain in place beyond the baseline that make pubs unviable, then pubs could be at risk of closing for good.
“It is crucial the Scottish government get this right and align us closely as possible to the other nations of the UK to ensure our recovery is not outpaced and we lose out on investment. We stand ready to work with the Scottish government to get this right.
“The pandemic has been devastating to the trade, but with the right of support from government we can bounce back to become a powerhouse of the economy once again. If that support falls short though, we’ll see more business failures on top of the 285 pubs already lost.”
