Scotland's pubs and restaurants warn they are 'staring into the abyss' over 10pm curfew

Pubs, bars and restaurants are "staring into the abyss" after Nicola Sturgeon imposed a 10pm curfew by which they must close, industry leaders have warned.

The Scottish Hospitality Group (SHG) said the move will cut the turnover of some businesses by a quarter and 90,000 jobs are at risk.

The sector is "heading towards a cliff edge and time is running out", the group said, with many firms likely to fold by Christmas without further financial support.

Tourism chiefs also warned the curfew was a "significant blow" to hundreds of businesses who worked hard" to adhere to government guidance to protect staff and customers.

Marc Crothall, chief executive of the Scottish Tourism Alliance (STA), said the announcement would likely be "the last straw" for many firms who were "only just managing to break even."

The new rule will inflict particular damage on restaurants, he warned, as restricting a second seating in the evening will result in a "substantial loss of revenue."

Business leaders also questioned the science behind Ms Sturgeon's decision, claiming that hospitality settings are only responsible for a small proportion of Covid-19 cases.

They stepped up demands for more support from UK and Scottish ministers, with the furlough scheme scheduled to wind up at the end of next month.

They were reacting to Ms Sturgeon's decision to follow Boris Johnson in England by imposing the curfew on all hospitality settings, which from Friday will have to shut by 10pm.

Table service will continue to be required in all pubs and bars to prevent revellers milling around or queueing for a drink. Ms Sturgeon also announced environmental health teams will be beefed up to increase inspections and enforcement.

The First Minister said further restrictions, including possible closure of venues, will be "unavoidable" if hygiene and social distancing rules are not followed.

But the SHG's Stephen Montgomery said: "We are now staring into an abyss. A national curfew on Scotland's bars, restaurants and late night venues will have a critical impact on those crucial later trading hours.

"Many of us are already trading at a loss and some members estimate that they will see their turnover plummet by more than 25 per cent with the new measures."

Mr Montgomery said it was "only a matter of months" before irreparable damage is done to the industry, meaning "many businesses" will not make it past Christmas without further support.

Mr Crothall said: "The evidence we have seen to date shows that incidences of the virus in hospitality businesses account for only a very small percentage of overall cases and I would therefore be hopeful that the further evidence we will gather in the coming days and weeks will feed into the review of this particular measure."

Mike Grieve, chairman of the Night Time Association Industries Association Scotland, said the new measures "don't make sense" as most cases are transmitted in homes.

He added: "As the only country in the world with a complete ban on music, Scotland's worldwide reputation for atmosphere in our bars, restaurants and venues is already threatened with extinction."

The Scottish Beer and Pub Association also warned the curfew will "devastate" the hospitality industry at a time when businesses are already struggling.

Dr Liz Cameron, chief executive of the Scottish Chambers of Commerce, said: "Let's be in no doubt that stricter measures in Scotland are undeniably more dangerous for the survival of businesses. That's why both governments must support those employers who have worked hard to create safe working environments."