Cumbria Tourism has called for urgent clarity on whether hotels and other accommodation providers should stay open after the Government ordered the closure of cafes, pubs and restaurants.

Reacting to the dramatic coronavirus press conference on Friday evening, Cumbria Tourism’s managing director Gill Haigh said the organisation was seeking definitive guidance “at the highest” levels on whether accommodation providers could fall into the same bracket as those venues told to shut.

The Government says it wants to shut down “areas where people are gathering for social reasons”.

Cafes, pubs and restaurants, along with night clubs, theatres, cinemas, gyms and leisure centres, were all pinpointed by Prime Minister Boris Johnson as places that will close in a bid to curb the spread of covid-19 – although cafes, pubs and restaurants will be able to provide take out services.

Mrs Haigh said Cumbria Tourism – which represents around 2,500 businesses in the county – had called on the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport to give definitive guidance on whether accommodation could be viewed in the same way.

“There is a real lack of clarity about whether accommodation providers should remain open,” she said.

“At this stage we do not believe the definition provided by the Government includes accommodation. We will continue to press for the answers business urgently need at the highest levels.”

Accommodation providers across the county had been gearing up for a busy Easter when fears over the spread of coronavirus led to many customers seeking cancellations. Some have been heavily discounting room rates in a desperate effort to attract custom.

Meanwhile, some visitors have signalled their intent to still visit the county, causing an angry backlash on some social media platforms such as the ‘I Love the Lake District’ Facebook page in light of Government advice for people to avoid non-essential travel.

The owner of Rothay Manor Hotel, in Ambleside, Jamie Shail, summed up the predicament accommodations providers are facing, saying: “We find ourselves stuck in a Dantesque limbo where we need to trade to pay bills and support our staff, whilst at the same time we are asked to play our part in being socially responsible to help prevent the spread of covid-19.”

Mr Shail has, along with Mrs Haigh, called for more information from the Government on the “practicalities of how and when tourism operators can get the level of support they need at this critical time”.

Mrs Haigh added: “The past few days have brought an unprecedented level of challenge and strain for Cumbria’s £3 billion tourism industry and this latest (Government) announcement appears to offer some positive news.”

The Government has pledged to pay 80 per cent of wages for those unable to work due to the coronavirus pandemic through a new created coronavirus job retention scheme.

Chancellor Rishi Sunak has also announced a break in VAT for the next quarter and confirmed the coronavirus business interruption loan scheme will now be interest free for 12 months.