We’ve followed the rules all along... and now we’re being punished
PUBLICAN SAYS NEW RULES WILL KILL OFF BUSINESSES AND PUSH DRINKERS INTO HOUSE PARTIES
AGWYNEDD publican and county councillor has slammed new Covid-19 restrictions, claiming the move will “drive several businesses to the wall”.
The Welsh Government’s latest strategy means that licensed premises will not be permitted to serve alcohol until at least December 17, when the measures will be reviewed.
Pubs, restaurants and cafes also have to close by 6pm.
To help businesses through these troubled times, ministers have made available a further £340m through the Economic Resilience Fund, including a specific fund to support the hospitality and tourism sector.
But Cllr John Brynmor Hughes, who runs the Sun Inn in Llanengan, is adamant that the hospitality industry is being unfairly punished.
“I think it’s disgraceful,” he said. “If you’re going to stop the selling of alcohol, it should be across the board including supermarkets.
“But the way it’s being done now is punishing the pubs, who have followed the rules all along.
“I feel the Welsh Government have gone back on their word in shutting us down, especially given that the ‘R’ number is so low in North West Wales.
“How many businesses will be in a position to reopen when this is all done? I fear this will drive several businesses to the wall.
“It’s galling given all the measures we’ve taken out to ensure social distancing and hygiene, then you go into these supermarkets and people clearly not adhering to twometre gaps with no-one seemingly controlling things.
“This isn’t a big city like Cardiff where we have seen people falling all over each other at 10pm; we’re able to keep an eye on what people are doing and take action if they’re drunk.
“I fear all this will do is to drive people to hold house parties in uncontrolled environments and end up closing even more pubs going forward.
“I really can’t see the worth of opening up between 12 and 6pm, only to serve soft drinks.”
Making the announcement last Monday, Mark Drakeford confirmed that pubs, cafes and restaurants will have to close at 6pm and cannot serve alcohol at all.
It comes as Covid-19 cases increase in parts of Wales and he said he was following advice from UK scientific body Sage on the best ways to tackle the spike.
The First Minister said: “I am very grateful for everything the sector has done. I know these new restrictions will be difficult, coming as they do at one of the busiest times of the year for the sector.
“Unfortunately, we continue to face a virus which is moving incredibly quickly across Wales and a virus that will exploit every opportunity when we spend time with one another.”
Arfon MS Sian Gwenllian acknowledged the new restrictions will be ‘incredibly challenging”, adding it was “deeply regretful” that these restrictions now had to be introduced.
While she welcomed the help available, including the £160m Restrictions Business Fund offering firms that pay non-domestic rates grants of up to £5,000, Ms Gwenllian urged the Government to ensure it was given to businesses “as soon as possible”.
“This money must be given as soon as possible – especially for smaller businesses who will otherwise have problems with cash flow,” she said, adding that local authorities should also be given enough support to process and deliver payments quickly, and funded to take on more staff if they need to.
“This is going to be incredibly challenging for the hospitality sector and it is deeply regretful that we’ve found ourselves in this position.
“Plaid Cymru called for stricter measures as we came out of the firebreak –including a more gradual easing of restrictions and optimising Wales’s own testing capacity to reach the 24-hour turnaround timescale target.
“The Labour Welsh Government failed to do that and now hospitality is paying the price.
“It’s now crucial they now roll out mass testing in all parts of Wales, increase the financial support for those who have to self-isolate to £800 per person, and publish their vaccination plan for Wales.
“The crippling uncertainty that comes with locking and unlocking is doing untold damage to the economy.
“We all must redouble our efforts in working together to suppress the virus and avoid an endless cycle of lockdowns.
“And some businesses – particularly hospitality businesses that rely on tourism and largescale events – will not be able to operate profitably until vaccines are rolled out and the worst of the crisis is over.
“They will need longer term support to ‘hibernate’ into spring, and we will continue to press Welsh Government for targeted support for them.”