We must keep playing our part to help Christmas - and 2022 - come good - Scotsman leader comment

By Scotsman editorial comment
Published 24th Nov 2021, 04:55 BST
The Mound in Edinburgh where festive spirit is building after the pandemic cancelled the Christmas celebration last year. PIC: Underbelly.The Mound in Edinburgh where festive spirit is building after the pandemic cancelled the Christmas celebration last year. PIC: Underbelly.
The Mound in Edinburgh where festive spirit is building after the pandemic cancelled the Christmas celebration last year. PIC: Underbelly.
Scotland's hospitality and leisure industries were braced for a dose of bad news yesterday, expecting First Minister Nicola Sturgeon to extend the vaccine passport scheme to pubs, restaurants and other venues.

Their memories of this period, last year, will still be vivid. One year ago today we learnt of a UK-wide relaxation of restrictions for the Christmas period. As welcome as the news was, many immediately thought that a bad idea. Vaccines were months away for most. The virus still ran free.

And, sure enough, on December 19 2020 the First Minister had to announce a deeply unwelcome if largely expected u-turn: restrictions were reimposed for all but Christmas Day, travel to England would become illegal, non-essential retail and hospitality would close from Boxing Day.

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