Covid: Nightclubs and restaurants fear New Year losses

Nightclub and hospitality workers have slammed new Covid restrictions announced by the Welsh government.

Nightclubs will close in Wales after Boxing Day and social distancing has been brought back in response to the Omicron variant.

First Minister Mark Drakeford said the decision was "about protecting the health of people who otherwise would be putting themselves in harm's way".

But workers face "tough financial decisions" as clubs close for New Year.

A self-employed DJ said the closure of nightclubs will leave him without money that "helps to keep food on the table and a roof over my head".

Hywel Ricketts, who has worked in Cardiff for 30 years, said it meant he would have to take "tough financial decisions" ahead of New Year's Eve.

The 47-year-old told the PA news agency: "On one of the busiest nights of the year, this will have a detrimental effect on my cash flow."

He added the closures are "nothing more than the Welsh government trying to be different for the sake of it".

Peter Marks, chairman of the board at Rekom UK, which owns Cardiff nightclub PRYZM among others, described the new measures as "a virtue-signalling political decision", adding they were "not based on any semblance of fact".

A £60m support package for businesses affected by the new restrictions has been announced, with more detail still to come on how funds can be claimed.

But with more decisions on Covid restrictions expected to be made on Monday, workers are worried about a raft of cancellations and how wages will be paid.

Beth Johnson, of the Vulcan nightclub in Merthyr Tydfil, told BBC Radio Wales: "I just hope that it's going to be just until February.

"We've been through this before and been through months and months like this and it's really hard.

"The government have encouraged us to take out Bounce Back Loans, but don't forget all the people who have to close down now still need to pay everything back.

"It's just a really, really worrying time for businesses."

Barbara Jeffries, owner of The Star and The Roof in Bridgend, said it would be "a different ball game altogether" after 27 December, but was keeping positive.

"I'm a very optimistic person. We spent the last lockdown actually investing in the business hoping that we can move forward.

"We've been there nearly 30 years, so I really want to stay there and hopefully we can stay there for the next 10 years at least."

The chief executive of the Night Time Industries Association said it was considering taking legal action against the Welsh government.

"We feel very much like we've been targeted and marginalized in terms of a sector within Wales," said Michael Kill.

"The sad part about it is to make an informed policy decisions without evidence and consultation, makes it very, very difficult to stomach for a sector which has been really, really placed in in a very, very fragile situation."

Enzo Nigro, the owner of Potters bar and restaurant in Newport, said Mr Drakeford's announcement left him "on tenterhooks" about what other restrictions may be announced next week.

"He hasn't really said anything to help us to prepare, apart from the 2m rule. He hasn't said anything about live entertainment, about track and trace or passports, people sitting at a table - nothing."

Mr Nigro said Potters had suffered from cancellations as companies pulled the plug on Christmas parties, and added the uncertainty was "not fair" on businesses like his.

Asked if Thursday's decision punishes younger people, Mr Drakeford said: "If you look at London and you look to see where the most rapid growth has been in the Omicron variant, it has been people in their 20s and 30s.

"I think you could say that we are discriminating in favour of younger people by taking action," he said.

But he was criticised by Mr Marks for targeting an industry and its young customers.

"This damaging decision targets the very people whose wellbeing is affected the least by Covid-19... these are decisions that have destroyed their education and social lives," he said.

"Nightclubs are not the super-spreader hotbeds they are reported to be.

"Once again, nightclubs are the most hit, but the least supported. This has to stop."

Ms Johnson said: "I think the youngsters that I've spoken to are absolutely devastated, because they've been encouraged by the government to have these two jabs.

"They've taken the risk by having this vaccine and now they've been told that they can't go back to normal. It's a bit of a hard one to take."

The Welsh government said the Treasury needed to ramp up support for businesses in all the UK nations.

A spokesperson said: "Financial support of up to £60m will be available to businesses materially affected by these new restrictions. We are working intensively with partners on how that support can most effectively be delivered, and further details will follow as soon as possible.

"However, as the first minister has made clear, the UK government must now step up and provide the financial firepower only HM Treasury can deploy to help support Welsh businesses and employees impacted by the pandemic.

"Now is the time for the UK government to demonstrate HM Treasury supports the whole of the UK, not just England."