‘A token gesture’ £1k grant won’t stop pub closures, says landlord
ABRISTOL landlord has said a £1,000 grant offered to wet-led pubs in the highest two tiers of coronavirus restrictions is “not enough to stop the rot”.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced the news to MPs on yesterday as he tried to win approval for the new tiered system of coronavirus controls which begin today.
Pubs that do not serve food will have to remain closed in both Tier 2 and Tier 3 areas, which includes Bristol, from tomorrow.
That means the vast majority of wet-led pubs across England will not be able to reopen in what is traditionally the most profitable period of the year.
Steve Smith, landlord of the Seven Stars pub in Redcliffe, thinks the announcement is a ‘token gesture’ to MPs rather than a lifeline to struggling pubs.
“I guess £1,000 is better than nothing at all but it’s still nowhere near enough to stop the rot,” he said.
“Rent and running costs will still have to be paid, as well as National Insurance contributions for furloughed staff, and the amount announced today is barely enough to touch the sides.
“To me it feels more like a token gesture from Boris to appease and quieten his MPs rather than an actual lifeline for pubs.”
Like many other business owners in the hospitality industry, Steve believes the sector has been unfairly treated, with no conclusive data showing pubs, cafes and restaurants are responsible for spikes in cases in Bristol and further afield.
“Data shows licensed venues
have been some of the best-policed environments throughout all this and yet we’re bearing the brunt of the restrictions once again,” he said.
“The spikes were as a result of university students coming back and schools staying open, not because of people going to the pub.
“This acts as another serious nail in the coffin for the pub trade as we know it and I worry that a lot of pubs will be gone next year, before being turned into flats.”
The measures will be reviewed on December 16 when there’s a possibility Bristol could drop down a tier, but Steve said even if this happens most wet-led pubs would not be able to do so.
“The problem is that if people want to go for a meal they’ll go to a restaurant and if they want a drink they’ll go the pub,” he added.
“It would cost too much for a wet-led pub to suddenly introduce a food menu and make it sustainable, as there just wouldn’t be the footfall or volume of alcohol sales required for it to be viable.
“I know Boris and his team have a lot on their plate but the lack of detail around the ‘substantial meal’ fiasco is shocking.
“You’ve got one person saying a scotch egg classes as a substantial meal and another saying it has to be a two-course meal.
“If Bristol does drop down into Tier 2 there needs to be far more clarification, as well as support.”