CORONAVIRUS CRISIS LEVEL 3 OUTCRY: How long can this go on before businesses fold?

Glasgow pub and restaurant owners plead to be able to open but Sturgeon refuses

- VIVIENNE AITKEN

BUSINESS owners have slated the Scottish Government for keeping Glasgow in a higher level of Covid restrictions than the rest of Scotland.

The city will remain at Level 3 for at least another week, meaning alcohol can’t be served inside restaurants and pubs, and places like cinemas must stay closed.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon blamed a high level of cases caused by the so-called Indian variant.

But the Moray area, where infection rates were previously the highest in Scotland, has dropped down to Level 2.

East Renfrewshire will stay in Level 2 despite a spike in numbers. It has a seven-day average of 116 cases per 100,000 people, while neighbouring Glasgow is at 123 per 100,000.

Colin Clydesdale, co-owner of The Ubiquitous Chip, Stravaigin and Hanoi Bike Shop restaurants in Glasgow, said: “How long can you expect businesses to limp along in a loss-making situation before they all start to fold? It doesn’t make sense.”