Two hospitality bosses have weighed in on the difficulties they are facing amidst what is being described as the worst month for the industry, outside of lockdown, in the pandemic so far.

Douglas’s Quid’s Inn bar owner Andy Saunders said all small businesses were ’in turmoil’ after a ’disastrous’ Christmas period - normally the most thriving time of the year.

He explained that many places had seen every single one of their Christmas party bookings cancelled amidst the rise in Omicron cases.

’We had a lot of staff and regulars who’ve picked up the virus, and we have concerns for the spread of it - the staff shortages are terrible,’ Mr Saunders told Manx Radio.

’The situation that we’re left in is that we don’t know whether to open or close for the safety of our customers, which I really do hope is like the dark before the dawn at the minute.’

He explained that the only two days of the season on which his bar had seen normal levels of trading were Boxing Day and Black Eye Friday (December 17).

And Licensed Victuallers’ Association chair Geoff Joughin told the radio station that ’survival has become very, very difficult’ and would become more so throughout January.

He noted that staff had barely had a chance to take any holidays over the festive period, having been called in to cover those who have been off with covid.

Mr Saunders, who thinks there has been a lack of government support, said that he had already met with treasury minister David Ashford and that he seemed ’sympathetic’ to the industry’s situation.

Mr Joughin says the LVA is still hoping to meet with government to discuss the challenges it is facing. Treasury announced its latest package of support for the industry last month, which included a grant if a downturn in business could be shown.

lA lot of gigs were cancelled. See Island Life’s Manx Music Exchange column on page 22