Newquay hotel blames uncertainty around Covid-19 rules for 80 job losses

The owners of a major Cornish hotel are pleading with the Government to review its re-opening guidelines for the hospitality industry.

The Headland Hotel in Newquay has been severely impacted by the effective closure of the hospitality industry over the past three months.

Owners say the business is now being forced to reduce staffing levels from 190 to around 110.

John and Carolyn Armstrong have owned the five-star hotel for the past 42 years.

They say clearer official guidance would allow them to plan for reopening the site.

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Carolyn estimates lost revenue will be in the region of £2.5m between the third week of March and the end of June.

With no guests and no income, she says the fixed costs paid out to the end of June have been close to £750,000.

Carol describes "this level of losses" as "simply not sustainable".

The Armstrongs hope to begin opening their five-star self-catering cottages in July.

However, the hotel itself is not likely to open until a later date, and even then with significantly reduced occupancy if government restrictions are in place.

Carolyn says the business has "done everything possible to try and avoid" reducing staffing levels but "the ongoing lack of clarity from the government has made the situation virtually impossible and left us with no other option."