The recent decision by the UK government to delay final lockdown easing in England for at least another four weeks has largely been met with dismay across the spa and hospitality industries.

As cases of the Delta variant, which was first identified in India, continue to rise, Prime Minister Boris Johnson stated on June 14 that most coronavirus rules will remain in place until at least July 19, meaning hospitality venues will have to continue to operate with restricted numbers with an estimated cost of up to £3bn for hospitality businesses, according to UKHospitality.

With spa, leisure and hospitality leaders all urgently calling on the government for more comprehensive support after months of closure, European Spa asked a selection of industry leaders for their response.

‘Keep calm and carry on…’

“We are very fortunate that we have seen huge demand and record numbers of guests returning to our spas since our reopening,” said Dorothy Purdew, OBE, owner of Champneys Resorts and Spas.

“Whilst we’re looking forward to the further easing of lockdown measures, the warm weather has seen our guests organically want to spend time outside; exploring our grounds and outdoor spa facilities.

“It has also enabled us to increase exercise class numbers by simply taking them outside, and has allowed us to add new ones to the schedule, such as garden yoga and barefoot nature walks. This year, we have also introduced our first ever luxury glamping sites, which have been a hugely popular.

“Of course, much like the rest of the country, we look forward to seeing the remaining measures relaxed, such as the wearing of masks, but for now we are very much keeping calm and carrying on in true Champneys style.”

‘Spa and wellness services are part of the solution’

European Spa’s founding editor, Sarah Camilleri, said: “We all understand the importance of supporting our vaccine programme roll-out in the UK, however, to be told again at the 11th hour that Stage 4 is to be withdrawn for a further four weeks is a direct blow to hospitality and tourism, which includes the majority of the spa workforce that serve the best hotels and wellness destinations.

“Spa businesses have already met the challenges of providing much needed wellbeing services with many new protocols and operational issues.

“The industry is fully committed to finding ways to work safely with the virus and deliver much needed wellness services to help people to reset and recover, all of which, ultimately, supports our health service and society at large.”

‘A temporary setback’

“While this may seem disappointing in terms of the capacity able to mix indoors and at larger events, we must remember that this allows our industry to continue to operate within the parameters set,” said Yvonne Ebdon, general manager of the UK Spa Association.

“This is something we have previously fought so hard for, and could assist in preventing yet another lockdown, which would be detrimental to so many businesses.

“We therefore see this as a temporary setback. The tapering of support measures such as furlough contributions and business rate re-introductions are, of course, an immediate concern and the UK Spa Association are engaged with BEIS and the Treasury on this.”