Charlotte R.

Hi, my name is Charlotte and I graduated from a degree in English at the University of Bristol in July of 2019. Whilst I am waiting to start my Master’s degree in Medieval Literature at the University of Oxford, I am working as a Conference and Banqueting Supervisor at a hotel in Bristol. Working in the tourism industry, I have had a unique insight into the impact of the Corona virus on the economy of hospitality, and have been able to witness this first hand.

As I write this, the government have announced the closure of all bars, restaurants and leisure centres. Just a few hours ago, my hotel closed its Food and Beverage department and will be shutting its doors imminently. The impact of this virus has been swift and sudden. Within the past few days, twenty three people in my hotel alone have been laid off, two of whom were in my team. Our numbers have dropped significantly as the hotel prepares to lock down, hunkering down to wait out this pandemic like the rest of us.

I am not alone in being surprised and shocked at the severity and speed of this shutdown. Just last week, business was running as normal, albeit with a few events cancelled here and there. The supermarket shelves were full, cafés were bustling, bars were lively and the city centre displayed the usual energetic hustle and bustle. Within a week, the city has emptied – in part caused by the shutdown of both of the local universities and subsequently the departure of over 40,000 students – and the shops have closed. The atmosphere on the streets is tense; a strange combination of blasé couldn’t-care-less defiance and nervous stock-piling anxiety.

No one knows how long this will last, how bad it will get or even if the country will recover. It is the mystery which makes this situation so terrifying, and unfortunately only time will sooth that wound. There are glints of hope that we will pull through this as a united front, with the government announcing plans to compensate for lost wages, and multiple support groups sprouting up on social media platforms. It is comforting to see humanity pulling together during such testing times, but the impact on our daily lives is one we will feel for years to com