May 2, 2020 · Team HG
When Prime Minister Mark Rutte called upon the Dutch business community on April 7 to consider implementing a 1.5-meter rule in various sectors, HorecaBrains immediately consulted its members.
The constituency of Hospitality Brains With 300 hospitality entrepreneurs and 800 hospitality locations, it provides a good picture of what is happening in the industry. 80% of the members have a combination of food and beverage functions, and 20% function exclusively in the "wet hospitality" sector (café / bar / club).
Horecabrains hopes for a swift and responsible reopening of the hospitality industry. If this requires a 1.5-meter distance rule, then so be it, but opening is a priority to get the entire industry back on track.
Many solutions have emerged from the restaurant and terrace sector to deal with the 1.5-meter rule; in combination with potential delivery services or other activities undertaken during this crisis, a temporary turnover of 70% can be achieved. With adequate financial support from the government until we can operate at 100%, a large part of the hospitality industry should be able to survive this crisis.
From the "wet" hospitality sector, the reactions were logically more negative; a 1.5-meter society in a café or a club is not workable.
“A tailored solution is needed for this part of the industry,” says Martijn Veen of Horecabrains.
A widely adopted coronavirus app, combined with testing, self-discipline, and initially age- and regionally selected target groups, would be a way to reopen the café or club without requiring guests to maintain a 1.5-meter distance from one another. Employees who come into direct contact with guests would then be required to wear a face mask. Naturally, there are other protocols that nightlife venues could adhere to.
In this way, we prevent the total demise of a wonderful discipline within the hospitality industry. It is easily forgotten that the café, but certainly also the club, is a place where people come together and, for example, meet the love of their life—a super important place in society.
Naturally, we also hear the concerns regarding privacy and an app; however, surely it cannot be the case that in this day and age, where Facebook has 1.3 billion users worldwide, we allow privacy issues to hold us back, bring the economy to a standstill, and perhaps even wipe out entire industries. We view the app as nothing more than a mandatory ID check at the door. That is currently permitted as well, and no one objects to that.
We would like to help the government support the development of the app and make it mandatory for access. Not mandatory for everyone, but for those who wish to use the hospitality sector; other sectors could then follow, such as other industries that are currently still closed.
“In any case, we cannot wait to get to work as soon as possible in a responsible manner,” said a combative Veen.
More information about Horecabrains' positions: https://www.horecabrains.nl/nieuws/standpunten-coronacrisis/
