NEARLY 200 staff have been laid off from a series of popular Glasgow restaurants after they shut their doors to due to the coronavirus crisis. 

Glasgow entrepreneur Oli Norman has revealed he had to make the "heart-breaking" decision to temporarily close all seven of his bars and restaurants, including Brel, Sloans and The Griffin, as he blamed the UK Government for a lack of support. 

It comes on the same day the Scottish Government confirmed plans to shut all Glasgow schools from Friday in a bid to stop Covid-19's spread. 

Mr Norman said: "We had to make the really heartbreaking decision and told our staff members this week. 

Glasgow Times: Oli Norman, right, with Stephen White Oli Norman, right, with Stephen White

"We have been planning contingency arrangements for weeks but we thought we had more time.

"It is utterly heartbreaking as ultimately these are the people you want to protect as an employer.

"What people need to understand is that many businesses are now in a fight for survival." 

Mr Norman said all full-time workers have kept their jobs for now with part-time workers let go after a meeting with staff yesterday. 

"We have no hours to give as we are having to close our door and it is unfair for everyone," he added. 

"It is really hard to put a timeframe on it but, going by what has happened in other countries, we are looking at three months. 

"We hope to then be able to bring back all of our staff we have had to let go during this difficult time." 

Glasgow Times: Prime Minister Boris Johnson Prime Minister Boris Johnson

Mr Norman joined a chorus of senior hospitality figures in condemning the approach taken by the UK Government to the crisis, which he said has “made a bad situation even worse”. 

He is furious that Prime Minister Boris Johnson told people to avoid visiting pubs and leisure venues before putting radical measures in place to keep businesses afloat.

Mr Norman said: “While it is completely the right course of action for the Government to take, how they have done it, without providing any form of financial recompense or method for employers to deal with this situation, is completely thoughtless. And it has made a bad situation even worse."