Smallest pub faces a big threat to survival
THE landlord of Manchester’s smallest pub says social distancing could kill his tiny city centre boozer.
Under the current social distancing rules, a two-metre space between customers would mean only eight people at a time could fit inside the Circus Tavern on Portland Street.
And licensee Barry Hayes fears the pub won’t survive if he also has to pay rent while the pub is closed.
He has asked landlord Star Pubs for a nine-month rent break to allow time to recover once lockdown measures are lifted. Star Pubs says it’s providing rent reductions to pubs ‘on an individual basis’ and is suspending the collection of any rent until at least next month.
Barry said: “My rent is over £5,000 a month. If you can’t open how can you pay that? If I can’t sell beer I can’t make money. We’re one of the most iconic pubs in town. A lot of places are in the same position. I think I’ll be able to get about eight people inside, nine maximum, if the social distancing rules stay the same. Each room is about threeand-a-half square metres.”
Ministers have already warned that pubs, restaurants and bars are likely to be the last to reopen after lockdown. Many in the hospitality industry are lobbying the government for a ninemonth ‘national time-out’ on rental payments. The Manchester Hospitality Network is urging people to get behind plans for commercial rents to be pushed to the back-end of leases, with payments starting again next January.
Barry said: “At the end of the day we’re just looking for help somewhere. I know of two landlords who will just go bust and it’s as simple as that. If they go with this two-metre rule I’m going to be absolutely goosed. I’ll be working for nothing.
“My head is working overtime trying to work out how we could make it work. I proposed to Star that perhaps I could defer the rent payments until next year and start paying rent again and add those payments to the end of my contract.”
Barry closed the pub when ordered by the government in March and furloughed two staff members.
At the time he had just increased his stocks in preparation for St Patrick’s Day and Mother’s Day. He said: “We had to get supplies in for those usually busy days but nobody was coming in. So we’ve got £8,000 of beer that is wasted now. I’m also refurbishing at the moment at a big cost.
“My sister works here too so it’s a family-run business. I have put a hell of a lot into it and I want to keep it going.”
Lawson Mountstevens, managing director of Star Pubs and Bars, said: “We are and will continue to do as much as we can to help our pubs. In addition to the government’s waivers and grants to help cover rent, salaries and other fixed costs, Star Pubs and Bars is providing rent reductions to pubs on an individual basis and suspending the collection of any rent until at least June or whenever pubs reopen.
“Once the restrictions are lifted, we want to see all of our pubs open, trading and operating as viable businesses as soon as possible.”