Almost three months after the masks were no longer mandatory in pubs and restaurants in England and almost another month after she said she would do it in Scotland, the First Secretary finally agreed – I am tempted to say, with some bad grace – that the same could apply north of the border. It was really a great situation. It was something that infuriated and confused “my hosts” and their staff for no other reason than Mrs Sturgeon believed, because she had the right to go her own way in the fight against Covid, that’s exactly what she would do. Critics insisted that it did not make Scotland safer than England, nor did it better combat the spread of Covid’s Omicron variant. And with an air of desperate resignation, as well as enormous devaluation, Scotland’s troubled, abused and bruised hospitality industry, whose interests and protests were ignored throughout the pandemic, said Ms Sturgeon’s edict had “delayed very”.
Confusion and frustration abound
Colin Wilkinson, CEO of the Scottish Licensed Trade Association, said the fact that Scotland was out of agreement with England had led to “confusion” for customers and “disappointment” for owners and staff. However, it is difficult to let this issue pass without commenting on Mrs Sturgeon’s utterly arbitrary, last-minute use of her powers. As Mr. Wilkinson and others have commented, it would be a nice gesture – and something like a reward for customs officers, restaurants and their customers – if the end of the mandatory face masks coincided with the Easter Bank holiday. But if you think about it, you do not know the Prime Minister of Scotland. The change will not be made until next Monday. Since Easter Monday is not usually a public holiday in England, people will return to work. Would it be too much to ask her to stop wearing a mask at midnight on Holy Thursday? I do not think she had such a prospect for a second, as she insisted in a statement accompanying the “relaxation” order: “Although the use of face masks will be a guide and not a legal requirement, I strongly urge members of the public to continue to wear face masks indoors where possible, and especially when there is a significant number of people “.
Stuffed economy? Just blame Boris
Such is the incredible impact that La Sturgeon has been able to develop on a large percentage of the Scottish people during the two years of the pandemic that these words will be enough to ensure that many people will continue to wear face masks in places of hospitality, and that they are more than likely to expect staff and other customers to do the same. It is a recipe for further confusion and frustration between both staff and customers. All this at a time when a significant part of Scotland’s economy desperately needs a boost. But why should La Sturgeon worry about the economy? If this is a problem, he can always blame Boris Johnson and the UK government. As a distance.
