Completed petition Don't shut the Hospitality Sector (Pubs, Restaurants, Cafes) without providing scientific evidence.
The Welsh hospitality sector has proven that it is able to comply effectively with the strict COVID regulations, with pubs, bars, restaurants, cafés, and many other settings being equipped to deal with social distancing. Hospitality has already adapted to using PPE, extra hygiene measures, as well as the government’s track and trace system.
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Evidence from the government and the Office of National Statistics shows that only between 1% and 3% of new coronavirus infections are transmitted in pubs, bars, and restaurants. Unless the Welsh Government is willing to publish evidence that shows a greater risk of transmission in hospitality settings, then it would be unfair to penalise the industry once again by shutting it down throughout December.
Pubs, and the hospitality industry generally, have been among the hardest-hit sectors during lockdown. More than a third of hospitality firms say they have little or no confidence of surviving the next three months, according to data collected by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) earlier this month.
This year has left the hospitality sector on the verge of collapse, with much of it being closed throughout 2020 due to the pandemic. Christmas trade is essential for businesses to remain open, and prevent many from having to close for good due to a loss of earnings.
This petition was considered by the Petitions Committee
Find out about the Petitions Committee’s discussion of this petition
The Petitions Committee decided not to refer this petition for a debate
The Committee decided not to refer the petition for a debate on the basis that the restrictions on the hospitality industry had been raised on a number of occasions in Plenary during December 2020, with votes on the measures and the Regulations also held on 9 and 15 December.