Letting pubs stay open for New Year is ‘too little too late’
A BURTON landlady has said the news pubs can stay open for New Year is “too little, too late” as customers will have made other plans during all the uncertainty.
Amanda Addis, landlady at Coopers Tavern, Burton, said: “It’s too little, too late for most of us. We made the decision not to book a band because we didn’t know what restrictions would be in place.
“We’re still open from 12pm on Friday and I’m hoping people will want to come in and celebrate, but I think people will have already made plans for elsewhere.”
She was speaking after Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced there will be no new Covid restrictions for England ahead of the New Year, meaning pubs and clubs across Staffordshire can open for the traditionally big night out to see in the new year.
In Wales and Scotland, restrictions have been put in place to close nightclubs and limit people to groups of six.
Neil Hay, landlord at The Colvile Arms, Lullington, will be open but intends to impose rules to combat the threat of Covid, including getting customers to book tables.
He said: “They’re always doing the right thing so if there were restrictions then there would be a reasoning for that.
“Hopefully this is a good thing for the country getting back to where we was before. It will of course be nice to celebrate but we are keeping very safe and very aware with what we are doing.
“I’m using my own pub restrictions, so there will be no free-for-all and it will be booking tables and no standing at the bar.
“We’re just opening the pub as normal as I didn’t want to look like we don’t care about rules if I was to put something big on.”
Ruth Lewis, landlady at The Robin Hood, Overseal, said: “Obviously we’re happy but we’ve just got to be careful.
“It’s all well and good being happy that we’re open but with the new Covid spreading as quick as it is, we’ve got to be extremely careful and take extra precautions.
“It’s always been my priority all the way through to keep people safe and we’re doing everything we can to keep it that way.
“At midnight, its going to be really difficult because at midnight everyone loves everyone with hugs and kisses, so I’m hoping this year we can come up with something different.”*
I’m using my own pub restrictions, so there will be no free for all and it will be booking tables. Neil Hay, Colvile Arms in Lullington