Mainland Scotland is to go into lockdown from midnight tonight (4 January 2021) with a new legal requirement forbidding anyone from leaving their home except for essential purposes.

In a statement to Parliament, the First Minister said a steep increase in coronavirus (COVID-19) infections and the intensity of pressure on the NHS have created a race between the virus and the vaccines now coming online.

Implications for hospitality sector

Restaurants, cafes, pubs and bars are closed. Sectors guidance is at: sector guidance for tourism and hospitality

Takeaways can still operate as normal, providing food is sold for consumption off premises. Face coverings and physical distancing rules must be followed.

Hotels and other accommodation providers can still serve food to qualifying guests i.e. keyworkers staying in their premises up to 22:00. Room service, including alcohol, is allowed as normal.

The First Minister said:

“We are now seeing a steeply rising trend of infections. Indeed, it is no exaggeration to say that I am more concerned about the situation we face now than I have been at any time since March last year.

“As a government our clear duty right now is to act quickly and decisively to safeguard health, save lives and protect the NHS.

“The advice of our clinical advisers is very clear that the increased transmissibility of the new variant means that the current level 4 measures may not be sufficient to bring the R number back below 1.

“It is essential that we further limit interaction between different households to stem the spread and bring the situation back under control, while we vaccinate more people.

“In short, we must return for a period to a situation much closer to the lockdown of last March.”