THE owner of one of Bournemouth’s biggest nightclubs has voiced its dismay that its customers will have to carry vaccine passports.
Boris Johnson announced that certificates of vaccination would be required in clubs from the end of September, even though there are no restrictions now.
Rekom, which operates Cameo in Fir Vale Road, said in a statement: “To say we are disappointed by this government’s U-turn is an understatement.”
It said Monday’s press conference “shows how little this government and their scientists understand the modern club”.
The company said it “should be down to individual risk assessments in line with the specialist scientific advice we have received,” and said the issue was becoming “a political football”.
It added: “Mandatory Covid-19 passports may make sense once the entire adult population has been offered vaccines, but does the government really think this threat will entice the vaccine wary to take the vaccine?
“They will just stay later in the pubs and hold their parties in their houses.”
In February, Bournemouth West MP Conor Burns said a “vaccine passport” could be inevitable.
Speaking to the Daily Echo yesterday, he said that a detailed framework set by the government would be preferable to a ‘wild west’ of unregistered ‘passport’ systems.
However, Mr Burns said it was his hope that the move would not be needed at all.
“My hope is that this is a nudge by the government to encourage more under 25 year olds,” said Mr Burns.
“At present only 60 per cent of people under 25 have come forward (for a jab).”
Poole MP Sir Robert Syms said he would vote against any plan to introduce the vaccine passports which have been mooted.
Sir Robert said: “ I will oppose it and the reason is you start going down a slippery slope like with ID cards.
“Some people can’t have a vaccine and when such a large proportion of the population has, why should they be stopped from doing things like going to a football or cricket match or a nightclub?”
Sir Robert said he also had concerns about the use of a ‘vaccine passport’ becoming more widespread, adding “that is not the sort of country we want to live in”.
He said the announcement would affect the night-time economy, which had suffered badly for the past 18 months.
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