1/4 An extremely worrying picture for hospitality over the next few weeks & months. Let’s join heads & understand what we need to ask for in order to stay alive. Furlough & support should be more forensically targeted at this point and responsive to sector need.

2/4 What we’ve learned 1. We now know that a majority of hospitality businesses cannot operate effectively at vastly reduced customer levels, working within social distancing measures, tiers, curfews etc & barely break even. For many it’s losses & more debt. ‘Eat out to help out’

3/5 worked but the virus spread put an end to that initiative even though the increase in infection rates was not directly linked to hospitality as it only accounts for approx 5%. Supermarkets are way higher & yet can stay open and trade. This is causing confusion & frustration.

4/5 2 The hospitality sector contributes over £73bn to the economy; is the Uks 4th biggest employment sector & the first job for many young people. We have to preserve it but need to make a decision on it’s ‘here and now’ existence which if means closure will require longer term

5/5 meaningful £ support. The sector wants to work more closely with govt to make the case for its ongoing existence (think what we did for the economy when things were re-opened) & identify solutions and longer term support together. We ask for realism and fairness.

Sorry I moved from 4-5 tweets - so much to say in so little space.