Scotland's vaccine passport scheme was branded an "unmitigated disaster" by a hospitality body following the first weekend of the scheme being enforced.
The Scottish Hospitality Group said that venue staff refused entry to people without vaccine passports more than 550 times and some staff were abused.
It added that footfall was down by up to 40 per cent, with some venues choosing to close early.
Spokesperson Stephen Montgomery said: "The Scottish Hospitality Group has been warning the government for weeks that their vaccine passports scheme is not ready - but the government's attitude has been to tell us to 'get on with it' whilst offering no safety net of support for businesses or our hard working staff."
"The experience of this weekend shows that the result has been intolerable levels of abuse of our staff, and the creation of an atmosphere that will totally undermine anyone's enjoyment of our night-time venues."
The scheme was introduced with the intention of encouraging people to get vaccinated and to ensure that venues hosting mass events can remain open during the winter.
The Scottish Hospitality Group said that the first real test of the scheme over the weekend had been "one of unmitigated disaster".
Concerning
Scottish Conservatives Covid recovery spokesperson Murdo Fraser said: "What is most concerning is the levels of abuse hospitality workers have been subjected to, caused by a lack of public engagement, and a frustrating and unreliable app."
A Scottish Government spokesperson said: "Covid-19 certification is a proportionate way of encouraging people to get vaccinated, and also of helping large events and night-time hospitality to keep operating during what will potentially be a very difficult winter.
"This means many businesses will not have to close and can continue to trade whilst making necessary adjustments to ensure their premises are as safe as possible for staff and customers."
The scheme has had a troubled rollout, with the app having been branded a “complete shambles” by the nightclub industry in the days following its introduction. High demand and bugs in the system led to many users being unable to access the QR codes in the hours following the launch of the app.
The new vaccine passport regulations were officially introduced in Scotland at the beginning of the month, but were not enforced until Monday 18 October to give venues a chance to get used to the new procedures.
The regulations force people to prove they have had both Covid vaccinations, or are exempt, before gaining entry to venues and large sports and music events.
The rules require evidence of full vaccination or exemption from all adults in the following settings:
– Nightclubs
– Unseated indoor events with more than 500 people
– Unseated outdoor events with more than 4,000 people
– Any gathering with more than 10,000 attendees.
M&IT editor Paul Harvey is a journalist with more than 15 years of experience. He began his career in the local press, working for various titles across the north. Since joining M&IT in 2013, he has become a trusted and respected voice in the sector, championing event professionals and reporting on all aspects of the events industry for the brand.
