Fratellis star urges public to Be Kind to bar staff over vaccine passports

Jon Fratelli has urged Scots to Be Kind to hospitality staff as vaccine passports come into force.

The Fratellis singer has joined forces with some of the top voices in the industry for the #bekindtohospitality campaign, which urges customers to be understanding while staff ask for proof of vaccination for entry into venues.

Organised by Graham Chalmers from Radisson Red Glasgow, the campaign aims to protect staff who may face “abuse and unfair treatment by some members of the public” as rules come into force.

As of Monday, proof of full vaccination is now required to enter nightclubs and large events as part of the Scottish Government’s efforts to limit the spread of coronavirus and increase vaccine take-up.

The measures technically came into effect from October 1, but an 18-day grace period was announced following backlash from affected industries and significant problems with the new app.

The policy will now be enforceable for nightclubs, strip clubs and unseated indoor events with more than 500 people, unseated outdoor events with over 4000 and any event with more than 10,000 people.

Scots will have to show proof they have had both vaccine doses, with a paper copy of the certificate or a QR code on a new app, although the latter has been plagued with problems since its launch.

Jon said: “We all want life to go back to normal but it’s worth keeping in mind that the restrictions are not down to the staff in venues, like all of us they’re just doing their jobs

“If you’re heading out somewhere affected by the vaccine passport rules please try and remember that those working at the venue will be doing everything they can to make the best of what might be a difficult situation at first, so please do what you can to help them.

“You’ll probably find that a lot of staff disagree with the new policies but they have no choice – so please, don’t take it out on them.

“We all want to be out enjoying music properly again, let’s do what we can to make things as normal and as safe as possible in the meantime.

“It might be frustrating, it might make no sense, if you’re standing in a queue it might be bloody freezing but if we treat those who work at our venues with respect and decency it’ll make it a lot easier for them to get to grips with the new rules and the closer we’ll all be to enjoying life more or less in the way we did before.

“Please be kind to hospitality.”