Only 1% of hospitality venues report test and trace incidences

Only 1% of pubs, restaurant and hospitality venues report test and trace incidences, according to leading trade associations.

A survey of members from UKHospitality, the British Institute of Innkeeping and the British Beer & Pub Association, with respondents operating over 22,500 outlets across the UK, said they collectively only reported 275 test and trace contact incidences to the NHS.

The trade bodies say the findings reiterate that pubs, restaurants and hospitality venues are secure from Covid-19 and are lobbying the government to remove the 10pm curfew on the hospitality sector.

A spokesperson for the trade bodies, said: “Just 1% of the 22,500 pubs, restaurants and hospitality venues we surveyed said they were linked by NHS Test and Trace to an incidence.

“Public Health England’s own data shows hospitality was most recently linked to just 2.7% of Covid-19 incidences.”

They added: “The evidence is clear that pubs, restaurants and hospitality venues are Covid-secure. Singling them out is simply illogical, counterproductive and grossly unfair.

“SAGE itself has called into question the effectiveness of the 10pm curfew and it is greatly harming our sector in medium risk areas. The Government must consider removing the curfew.”