40% decrease for hospitality trade since introducing vaccine passports

[DumplingsAndStew]

Heard on the car radio yesterday that it's been reported that since vaccine passports were introduced, the hospitality trade are experiencing a 40% decrease in custom.

Why would that be? There's not 40% of adults unvaccinated is there? Is it likely many vaccinated customers are staying away in protest?

'It's been reported'? By whom, in what context, and based on what - conversations, vox pops, polls, stats, what? What other factors are being considered in this 'reporting'?

A few of my pub/restaurant/cafe clients are showing reductions in trade after the peak Summer months, but we don't have vaccine passports around here.

It seems to be simply because some people don't want to risk being indoors with lots of other people in pretty crowded spaces, at a time of rising infection rates. People were happy to socialise/eat out in Summer with low rates and of course, lots of places had outdoors seating, but I don't think there'll be many wanting to eat outdoors at the moment!

Or maybe people are just skint atm. Christmas is coming, food and heating bills have gone up, not to mention fuel for cars. A load of people are feeling it and are hunkering down. Eating out would be low in my list of priorities.

@heldinadream

'It's been reported'? By whom, in what context, and based on what - conversations, vox pops, polls, stats, what? What other factors are being considered in this 'reporting'?

Didn't my post make it quite apparent that I'm also looking for this information?

Quick Google throws up this article, but I don't subscribe to the Times so can't read the full thing

www.thetimes.co.uk/article/scotlands-hospitality-industry-attacks-covid-vaccine-passport-disaster-wf78q5tp7

Seems to be a figure given by the Scottish Hospitality Group, possibly, or they might only be responsible for saying the bit quoted

The Scottish Hospitality Group said that staff had faced “intolerable levels of abuse” and some venues saw a drop in footfall of up to 40 per cent.

@user1497207191 @gamerchick

That's what I had been thinking, that reduction in custom was probably linked to the weather, the time of year, etc... but it definitely sounded like (and a quick Google seems to talk about it at the same time as) it was being attributed to the introduction of vaccine passports.

Bad idea to introduce those passports. Who would have thought?

Extra faff to sort?

Only know under 18 don't need passes as one of venues told us by email. If we'd been determined to go to venus needing them we'd have looked up the requirments but it was more a vague idea and the news passes were needed did make us less keen.

Plus when relatives from different bit of UK come over may have isuse with access we not sure - so we thinking might do something else.

DH went to a confernce were some of the orgainsed talks required passes - but they didn't reconised the passes from bit of UK we were in and where he got his jabs.

Also we haven't been to such places in a while and it does make you think twice about how safe it really is plus we could make a day of it and head over the border and avoid faff with passes entirely.

We're not in Scotland - and once we actually sort out passes and possibly widely accepted age ID for 16 year old might be a none issue but at minute it's a extra thing making us re-think cinermas and theaters.

@fournonblondes

Bad idea to introduce those passports. Who would have thought?

But is it fair to attribute such a loss to the introduction of passports? That's why I'm trying to find the information to back up any suggestion that they are to blame for a 40% reduction in custom, and why.

Didn't my post make it quite apparent that I'm also looking for this information? Nope, I read it that you were agreeing with it and wanted to know WHY numbers are 40% down and whether the 40% is comprised of exclusively unvaccinated or other groups.
I'm questioning the accuracy and sources of the 40%.

Is it likely many vaccinated customers are staying away in protest?

Possibly. Or if they have friends that are unvaccinated, choosing to go somewhere where they are all welcome. I think someone highlighted that one problem would this would be more house parties which are probably riskier as far as transmission goes.

@gamerchick

Or maybe people are just skint atm. Christmas is coming, food and heating bills have gone up, not to mention fuel for cars. A load of people are feeling it and are hunkering down. Eating out would be low in my list of priorities.

Not to mention, furlough ending.

@bumbleymummy

Is it likely many vaccinated customers are staying away in protest?

Possibly. Or if they have friends that are unvaccinated, choosing to go somewhere where they are all welcome. I think someone highlighted that one problem would this would be more house parties which are probably riskier as far as transmission goes.

Thats possible.

According to Travelling Tabby, 71.7% of the entire Scottish population have had two vaccine doses. I guess that explains 29.3% of the reduction, but that's assuming that 100% of the population typically uses hospitality services that require passports during the time scale the figures were gathered. Which obviously wouldn't be true.

[quote DumplingsAndStew]**@user1497207191* @gamerchick*

That's what I had been thinking, that reduction in custom was probably linked to the weather, the time of year, etc... but it definitely sounded like (and a quick Google seems to talk about it at the same time as) it was being attributed to the introduction of vaccine passports.[/quote]
Well yes, people against the vaccine passports will blame them. That's the usual bias. But if trade is down in places where the vaccine passports don't apply, then that's clear evidence that there are other factors in play too!

Not sure if it's 40% reduction on typical numbers in comparison with this time last year, the average year at this time, last month, the week before introduction or what...

If anyone can find any more information (or has a Times subscription and could paste the whole article, that would be appreciated.

Wetherspoons trade is down anyway even with no vaccine passports in England. My heart bleeds... 🙄

I went into a Weatherspoons Sat early evening it was heaving and was still heaving when we left the Theatre 3 hours later as was most of the town centre.

If there was group of 5 friends, 3 vaccinated, 2 unvaccinated, is it possible they might choose to go where passports are not required so that they can all be together?
Could there be many couples where one is vaccinated and the other not? So they can't really go as a couple to places that require them.

I am dbl vac but refuse to go anywhere in Scotland where a passport is required. My DS household is the same.

I'm vaccinated but couldn't be arsed to go anywhere where I had to show a vaccine passport, I'm not that bothered about going out anyway and didn't bother much when you had to scan or take a photo as I did of the track and trace thing.

No vaccine passports here. Judging by what I see (and know from speaking to hospitality venue owners) here I'm astonished it's only 40%, I'd say closer to 80%.

One café owner said to me that now a good week takes similar to a poor day pre covid, and he's had very few good weeks since he reopened.

[quote DumplingsAndStew]**@user1497207191* @gamerchick*

That's what I had been thinking, that reduction in custom was probably linked to the weather, the time of year, etc... but it definitely sounded like (and a quick Google seems to talk about it at the same time as) it was being attributed to the introduction of vaccine passports.[/quote]
Maybe a comparison with England would help give info

If no drop here then likely passports

I’m in Scotland and the vaccine passports is not required for regular hospitality settings like going to a restaurant or bar. I suspect it is coming very soon, but not yet.

@MargaretThursday

No vaccine passports here. Judging by what I see (and know from speaking to hospitality venue owners) here I'm astonished it's only 40%, I'd say closer to 80%.

One café owner said to me that now a good week takes similar to a poor day pre covid, and he's had very few good weeks since he reopened.

But that would be dependent on what they are using as the control group I.e. are they comparing custom to this same week/month in 2019? Or comparing Sunday custom to a Sunday in 2020 when the EOTHO scheme was running.

Which is why I'm looking for more information about the claims.

@MargaretThursday

BTW, I hope business picks up, especially for independent and family-run establishments. It must be such a worry, for owners and staff.

I'm double vaccinated and have shown my passport at gigs.

However, when DH went to a pub recently, not in our usual area, he was weirdly asked to provide his phone number at the bar still, as in test and trace! No thanks, not when others don't expect this.

Also, with rising fuel and food and petrol increases for our family of 4 inc two ravenous teens, we can't afford to go out much.