More than 200 businesses urge government to scrap two-week quarantine

More than 200 travel and hospitality businesses have joined a campaign urging the Government to overturn its planned 14-day quarantine for arrivals into the UK.

The group of major hotels, travel companies and restaurateurs claim the policy is "unworkable" and have endorsed a letter sent to Home Secretary Priti Patel.

They are calling for air bridges to be created which enable people to travel - without being quarantined - between countries where the risk of being infected by coronavirus is deemed to be low.

Current plans would mean all international arrivals - apart from people carrying out a limited number of specified roles - would need to self-isolate for 14 days from June 8.

The group of major hotels, travel companies and restaurateurs claim the policy is “unworkable” and have endorsed a letter sent to Home Secretary Priti Patel. (Photo by TOLGA AKMEN/AFP via Getty Images)

George Morgan-Grenville, chief executive of tour operator Red Savannah, who is leading the campaign by travel and hospitality firms opposed to the measures, said: "This is not just a group of company bosses complaining, but employees from bottom to top calling for the quarantine plans to be quashed.

"The extent of their pain is deeply worrying for our economy and our country."

Seventy-five businesses signed the letter to Ms Patel last week, but it has now been endorsed by more than 200 as concern about the impact of the quarantine grows.

Firms which support the campaign include London hotels the Ritz and the Dorchester, travel firms Kuoni and Inghams, and chef Jason Atherton.

Meanwhile, the Telegraph reported that more than 20 Tory MPs are also demanding that the Government changes its quarantine plan.

Transport Select Committee chairman Huw Merriman called for the blanket rule to be "ditched" in favour of other measures such as "air-bridges, compulsory PPE and temperature testing at airports".

Former Environment Secretary Theresa Villiers also gave her backing for the scheme to be altered, telling BBC Radio 4's Westminster Hour: "I would very much prefer the quarantine rules ... be targeted on flights from Covid hotspots.

"I think we really do need to find ways to ease travel between this country and other countries like Italy and Spain and France where not only are there important business connections but people do desperately want to be able to take their summer holiday."

A message from the Editor

Thank you for reading this story on our website. While I have your attention, I also have an important request to make of you.

With the coronavirus lockdown having a major impact on many of our advertisers - and consequently the revenue we receive - we are more reliant than ever on you taking out a digital subscription.

Subscribe to scotsman.com and enjoy unlimited access to Scottish news and information online and on our app. With a digital subscription, you can read more than 5 articles, see fewer ads, enjoy faster load times, and get access to exclusive newsletters and content. Visit https://www.scotsman.com/subscriptions now to sign up.

Our journalism costs money and we rely on advertising, print and digital revenues to help to support them. By supporting us, we are able to support you in providing trusted, fact-checked content for this website.

Joy Yates

Editorial Director