'One of the final blows' - restaurants suffering thousands of Christmas cancellations

• Watch Marina Jenkins' report

A restaurant in Exeter has had more than one thousand cancellations in a two week period this month since the Omicron Covid variant made the headlines.

Harry's Restaurant has had more than 1,200 bookings cancelled in the two weeks between December the 9th and 23rd.

Samantha Pounds from the business said: "For a lot of people in hospitality this is going to be one of the final blows.

"The Christmas quarter is what you rely on distinctly and without that in the bank and without knowing if we face going into a lockdown, we go into next year with no idea what is happening."

Samantha wants to see the government act in support of hospitality workers. "They aren't acknowledging the damage it's doing to us as an industry", she said.

The weeks before Christmas are typically the busiest period for pub and restaurant operators but soaring rates of Covid driven by the spread of the Omicron variant have caused a wave of cancellations across many businesses.

Well-known Devon-based chef Michael Caines has had more than 100 bookings cancelled in the last 24 hours.

He is calling for the Furlough scheme to be re-introduced to help hospitality businesses now struggling once again.

He said: "We want to be reassured by the government that despite the unknown circumstance support will be forthcoming and that they'll do it in a way that is meaningful.

Michael added that he supports the introduction of vaccine passports as a way to make customers feel safe in venues, saying that it will give people the "confidence to know if you go to a restaurant you are amongst people that are vaccinated".

In Wiltshire, businesses are feeling the same effects. Philip O'Shea, who runs The Peppermill in Devizes, said said his hotel and restaurant has faced hundreds of cancellations.

"A lot of the companies are being responsible by saying we can't put our staff in that position to go back to their family and friends at Christmas time and potentially pass on this horrible thing that we are going through at the moment.

"But we've had at least 300 people cancel - mostly work company do's, and not just the actual dinner but the rooms as well", he said.

Like many others, Night Time Economy Advisor for Bristol, Carly Heath has called on the government to support hospitality workers during this time where the industry is facing significant challenges.

"We have been under an enormous amount of pressure for the last 18 months. We are coming into our busiest season, 3 weeks before Christmas.

"We've got New Year's Eve coming and any impingement on trade will affect trade. We haven't got the government's support this time to weather the storm."

When asked by ITV News what form of support she'd like to see from the government, she said: "Ideally some sort of rates relief would be great, or VAT relief which is due to go up again in April.

"If we can extend that or go back to the 5% that we saw earlier on this year that would give hospitality a chance to recover from yet again another crisis we are bearing the brunt of"

Instead of cancelling parties, Ms Heath said people should instead take precautions when going out. "I'd encourage anybody going out to be taking a lateral flow test but just not showing at hospitality - that's devastating for these restaurants and bars.

"If you've got a restaurant booked, honour your booking, if you're not going to show up then tell them, pay your deposit.

"These businesses are really suffering yet again so show support for your local businesses wherever you can.

Hospitality bosses around the country are putting the Chancellor under pressure to hand out financial support to businesses following the cancellations.

The British Beer & Pub Association (BBPA) has said pubs are now expected to lose out on almost £300 million in trade this Christmas and pleaded for new funding from the Chancellor.

Chief executive Emma McClarkin said: “Although no new restrictions have been announced, the message to not socialise is hugely damaging to our sector.

“The Government must take responsibility and step in to save pubs this Christmas.

“We’ve written to Chancellor Rishi Sunak as a matter of urgency to provide the vital furlough and grant provisions our pubs need, in addition to VAT and business rates support.

“Without support pubs across the UK have a real fight on their hands for survival.”

Chef Tom Kerridge also warned the hospitality industry was "on a cliff edge" as the Omicron Covid variant caused chaos with no hint of extra financial help.

Kerridge, who was born Salisbury before moving to Gloucestershire, runs a number of restaurants in the country.

Speaking to ITV News he spoke of the devastating consequences of Omicron and the damaging effect the variant had on public confidence.

One of Kerridge's restaurants suffered more than 650 cancellations in just six days and a 'perfect storm' meant businesses across the industry faced an anxious few weeks.

"If you think of the last 18 months where many businesses and also much smaller independent spaces have taken on bounce back loans, there has been furlough in place and a reduction in VAT but all of that has gone away now and that safety net is not there," he told ITV News.

"Then we have an increase in wages and we all know about utility bills and how they have gone up and that massively affects the market.

That crossed with 40% to 50% of bookings disappearing across the board, we are sat on a cliff edge and many places will close their doors over Christmas and won’t reopen," Kerridge added.

Tom Kerridge said he understood why people were cancelling reservations and public health was extremely important.

"Many people have got plans to meet family and friends and no one wants to be self isolating over this Christmas period and becoming ill," Kerridge said.

"But from an industry point of view this is catastrophic and devastating without any form of government support.

"The industry as a whole needs government support, 100%," he added.