UKHospitality welcomes the decision of Boris Johnson, prime minister, to lift nearly all Covid-19 restrictions in England starting July 19th.The plans will allow venues to reopen at full capacity and night clubs to reopen. Sports stadiums will also be able welcome larger crowds.After the announcement, Kate Nicholls (chief executive of UKHospitality) said that this announcement marked a significant milestone in how England will become a part of Covid. This announcement will be celebrated by all hospitality business owners and staff across the country.If confirmed, July 19th will mark the beginning of a 16-month streak in which most hospitality businesses can realistically expect to break even and move toward profitability.This is a testament to the constructive, positive work we have done with government to make it possible for timely transfer of responsibility. We are now shifting from enforced legal obligations to personal and business responsibilities to ensure we continue to protect our customers and staff in the proven and trusted ways that work best.ADVERTISEMENTJohnson stated that a final decision regarding the release of lockdown would be made on July 12, but this is considered a formality.Nicholls said: As we enter the summer and beyond, hospitality businesses will continue providing safe and enjoyable experiences and will, in doing so will also protect jobs, livelihoods, and the venues that we love so much.Venues will need to be able to make their own risk assessments without the assistance of local authorities. They also need a test and trace system that is flexible and does not require blanket isolation like the test-to-remain-style system. This will allow them to protect staff and trade with enough teams.It is a welcome development that hospitality venues will soon be free from the commercial restrictions that have severely constrained their operations.The sector was a leader in the development and implementation of safety and health measures and initiatives during the pandemic. This will continue, to help trade back to prosperity and drive national recovery.Businesses that are forced to take out debt to survive will face a difficult road ahead, particularly with the reintroduction business rates payments.This is an important step that will allow a sector to be repaid the government's support.Image: Unsplash by Louis Hansel
