NTIA says vaccine passports "unworkable" for live music industry
A leading nightlife association has described vaccine passports as “unworkable” for music venues in the UK.
The government has been considering introducing vaccine passports in order for people to gain entry to pubs, clubs and other nightlife spaces.
Michael Kill, CEO of the Nighttime Industries Association (NTIA), said in a statement that: “As the Government narrative suggests, there needs to be some levelling up, as we are clearly the subject of cross sector discrimination.”
Kill added: “The additional barriers around mandatory vaccination certificates to gain access to businesses within the sector is unworkable, and would cause further anxiety for operators, creating more barriers to businesses, and potential conflict between staff and customers, as well as being discriminatory, given that the core of our market will not have been given the opportunity to have the vaccine by the time the roadmap engages the sector ”
“There is a clear disparity between the way that the Night Time Economy and Hospitality sector businesses are being treated by the Government,” Kill also said. “With the likes of supermarkets and retail being given extended hours, no mandatory track and trace and in particular non-essential retail being given a more favourable date for re opening at the cost of hospitality businesses.”
Meanwhile, vaccine passports are to be introduced as part of safe international travel, with Ibiza keen to be one of the first places in Europe to adopt the scheme.
It was recently revealed that a shortage of bouncers in the UK could see nightclub reopenings pushed back, as Brexit and the pandemic have pushed door staff into other countries and professions.
