'Stand by employees, stand by workers, as we will stand by you'

Today’s Government press conference still leaves hospitality workers without answers as Boris Johnson says he hopes ‘to turn the tide in 12 weeks’.

He asked for businesses to ‘stand by employees, stand by workers, as we will stand by you’.

Tomorrow will see a ‘package for workers’ delivered by Chancellor Rishi Sunak and many in the industry have vented their frustration that they are being forced to wait another 24 hours to find out what that package will be.

Boris Johnson says he will do more to support people in most affected hospitality and retail sectors with payroll cash not loans as every other government has done.

He said: “The package will support everybody through this difficult time. We have been talking to the trade unions and others today and we think we have a great package ready to go.

“I hope people will stick by their employees because we are all going to need them.”

There was no movement on closing pubs, bars and restaurants with the prime minister saying: “We're guided by the science and we think the advice we've given is working.”

The news that help is on its way has done little to curb the panic among the industry, we are seeing bars, restaurants and hotels closing their doors at an ever increasing rate with an estimated one million jobs already lost and millions more at risk.

Kate Nicholls, chief executive of UKHospitality, tweeted: “Hospitality businesses are collapsing because they have no income and it is a daily deteriorating situation. A tide of redundancies is sweeping through the sector and every days delay sees more.”

It seems the overwhelming message from the industry is ‘we need an employee rescue plan and we need it now!’