According to The Spirits Business, UK prime minister Boris Johnson warned the British public to avoid pubs, clubs and social venues in a bid to mitigate the impact of coronavirus as the number of confirmed cases escalates.

Karen Betts, chief executive of the SWA, said the trade body “remains confident” in the Scotch whisky sector’s long-term growth.

“This is a rapidly changing situation,” she said in a statement released on 16 March. “It is too early to assess at this stage what the impact on the Scotch whisky industry will be.

“Despite some inevitable disruption to exports, global travel retail and tourism to distillery visitor centres, we remain confident in the long-term growth opportunities for Scotch whisky at home and abroad.

“Our member companies are working with local authorities in the UK and in export markets to ensure we are playing our full role in helping to contain the virus in affected countries. We will continue to monitor the situation closely and share relevant guidance”

In addition, Betts said “it may be necessary for industry sites, including visitor centres, to limit public access or close for a period of time”.

“Most Scotch whisky distillery visitor centres are located at the heart of the production process, with public tours having access to still houses, bottling halls and other areas vital to the ongoing production of Scotch whisky,” she explained. “As ever, the health and wellbeing of our workforce, is paramount.”

Read More at source: The Spirits Business

Image Source: The Spirits Business