Coronavirus in Scotland: Tom Kitchin hits out at hospitality Covid restrictions calling them 'a joke'

Chef-restaurateur Tom Kitchin has hit out at the latest coronavirus restrictions on hospitality saying they make “zero sense.”
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The Michelin-starred chef said the measures, which forbid pubs and licensed restaurants from serving alcohol indoors and restrict opening hours for indoor service after 8pm, are “a joke”.

Mr Kitchin tweeted: “The hospitality restrictions in Scotland are beyond a joke. Why do we have to close at 8pm with no alcohol. Makes zero sense.

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"But you can drink outside all day until 10pm and use toilet indoors. Whose idea is this. Save Scottish hospitality please.”

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It after hospitality businesses in Scotland were permitted to reopen on 26 April, but with strict coronavirus regulations in place.

These include only allowing groups of up to six people from two different households to eating indoors, a ban on alcohol indoors and an 8pm curfew.

Tom Kitchin has hit out at the Scottish Government's latest Covid restrictions on the hospitality sector in Scotland.Tom Kitchin has hit out at the Scottish Government's latest Covid restrictions on the hospitality sector in Scotland.
Tom Kitchin has hit out at the Scottish Government's latest Covid restrictions on the hospitality sector in Scotland.

Alcohol is permitted in outdoor areas, but groups are limited to six people from six different households.

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From 17 May, alcohol and household restrictions will ease further.

It is not the first time the celebrity chef has hit out at the Scottish Government for its rules on the hospitality sector during lockdown.

In October last year when restaurants and pubs in the Central Belt were allowed to reopen, but with a ban on serving alcohol and a 6pm curfew, Mr Kitchin took to Twitter to slam the regulations as “catastrophic” for the industry.

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