Calls for self-isolation alerts to be reviewed as York's hospitality sector is hit
Several pubs and restaurants in the city have had to temporarily shut because of multiple staff members self-isolating.
There are concerns about self-isolation alerts hurting the hospitality sector in York.
It's as several pubs and restaurants in the city have had to limit their operations or close completely until next week because of several staff members receiving self-isolation alerts.
Earlier this week the Ackhorne Pub in York issued a statement on their Facebook page: "We have had to close due to a number of Track and Trace notifications having gone off for staff.
Unfortunately this means we will not be able to reopen until Friday at 12pm (after a deep clean). This will be with some new faces behind the bar so please bear with!
We understand that a few people had bookings with us over the next few days, but in order to keep you and the staff safe, we will have to cancel these".
The Grays Court Hotel has closed its bar, lunch and dinner operations until Tuesday because of staff absences. Proprietor Helen Haraty told Greatest Hits Radio York there needs to be a rethink: "The alerts first came through last Thursday (1st July), and then during Thursday and Friday we had five staff receiving messages from the app saying they were required to isolate for a number of days.
"They varied between seven and ten days between the five of them, so effectively we would be 50% down for a week on our staff. We then had to take the difficult decision to close the restaurant and daytime operations because we cannot look after our guests.
"The decision itself was heart breaking, but it was the only decision we could take because we can't operate on a shoestring.
"We've had cancellations because guests have found other restaurants which have since closed, so it's tricky because people are coming to the city and finding closures".
Sarah Czarnecki is the Strategic Partner at Grays Court Hotel & The Bow Room Restaurant: "The main issue is there are two systems in place: one is when you get pinged because the Bluetooth has picked up that you've been in the vicinity of someone with Covid; the other is test and trace where somebody has actually tested positive and the NHS has contacted you to tell you to self-isolate.
"The former is advisory and the latter is mandatory, but you can't as a responsible employer say to your staff that that alert is only advisory - it actually says that you have to self-isolate".
Helen adds: "I think there's a mixed message, and I think people are nervous. They won't feel comfortable if they get either alert, so I'm not going to browbeat my staff and force them to come in if they don't want to.
"The impact on the business is serious this week and next week. We've been fortunate and come out on the other side of lockdown.
"We've been busy, but if nothing is done and a 'test and release' system isn't brought in then all of the gains that we've made could be wiped out.
"This could fell us at the final hurdle if we have to wait another 6 weeks for the rules on self-isolation to change".