Anger at Welsh Government’s ‘puritanical’ new hospitality rules
As the Welsh Government announced tough new restrictions on pubs and restaurants yesterday as part of measures to tackle rising Covid rates, hospitality industry bosses told of their dismay and anger. Thomas Deacon and John Cooper report
THE head of pub chain Wetherspoons joined criticism from all quarters of the industry yesterday, after the Welsh Government revealed new rules banning pubs and restaurants from selling alcohol.
Wetherspoon chairman Tim Martin claimed the measures were puritanical and a sad reflection of “groupthink”.
He said: “In my opinion, these puritanical measures, involving a ludicrously early closure of pubs and other businesses, combined with an alcohol ban, are a sad reflection on ‘groupthink’ in political and medical circles in Wales.
“There have been a very low number of transmissions of the virus in pubs, as many commentators have noted.
“Wetherspoon has had no reports at all of the virus being transferred from staff to customers or vice versa. We have had no cases either of an ‘outbreak’ among customers reported to us via the test and trace system.
“The Swedish epidemiologist Johan
Giesecke says that the real ‘science’ has only two proven rules. One is social distancing, since you won’t get the virus if you don’t get too close to someone. The other is handwashing.
“The problem for Wales and the UK is that these two rules have been lost in ever-changing legislative hyperactivity, involving firebreaks, lockdowns, tiers, rules of six and so on.”
Mr Martin added: “There is no science at all behind these moves by the Welsh Government. They will be ruinous for the hospitality industry and
will cost the taxpayer a fortune – and they’re guaranteed not to improve health outcomes.”
Many other businesses have reacted angrily to the measures, with some seeing the hospitality industry as being blamed for the rise in cases and another stating that “99% of the hospitality industry is on its knees and on the edge”.
Alex Taylor, owner of Pennyroyale in Cardiff’s city centre, said he again feels the industry is being “scapegoated” and that his bar is effectively being forced to close from Friday.
He said: “We’d heard there was going to be a 6pm curfew, and we hoped it was a case of having to provide food so I was preparing myself to pivot the business once again but the complete prohibition of alcohol is pretty devastating to be honest.
“There’s nothing we can open for. We don’t have a food offering at the moment and we’re a cocktail bar. We sell alcoholic drinks, almost exclusively.”
He said they have an offering of bottled, prepared cocktails which will now be “wasted” describing it as “unfair” that supermarkets can still sell takeaway alcohol.
Members of the Welsh Independent Restaurant Collective (WIRC) also reacted to the announcement, with Cerys Furlong, owner of The Lansdowne and The Grange pubs and Milkwood restaurant, describing the rules coming at a “crucial” period.
On Twitter both The Lansdowne and The Grange said they will not remain open after 6pm on Friday, describing the changes as “soul destroying”.
She said: “Not being able to serve alcohol and early closing means that trading will be a long way from viable for the majority of the sector, particularly in this Christmas period, which is crucial to the success or otherwise of most businesses in hospitality.
“However, we welcome the support funding from Welsh Government which we understand is intended to reflect more closely the scale of the challenges we face.”
Waterloo Tearooms said that many businesses already have “creaking” finances. Owner Kasim Ali said: “We’re confident that some operators will do their best to open under the 6pm rule and to remain at the hub of their community, but it is critical that support finds its way rapidly to family-owned businesses such as members of WIRC: their finances are truly creaking.
“We cannot afford a repeat of previous funding allocation which were on the basis of first come first served, with complex application processes and not targeted at where funded was needed most”.
Asador 44, a popular restaurant in the centre of Cardiff, said with a “heavy heart” it was closing all of its Welsh-based sites from 6pm on Friday.
The closure includes Bar 44 and Asador 44 in the capital, and its venues in Cowbridge and Penarth. Its online store will remain open.
In a statement on Twitter owner Owen Morgan said: “We are not sure when we will be allowed to reopen again. We have spent the last three days analysing all scenarios, taking into account what we are and aren’t allowed to do.
“Ultimately, it comes down to an economic decision to try and safeguard the future of our company, our immense team, our families.
“We haven’t put 20 years of our blood, sweat and tears into this – to let it go now. We have so much more to do, with goals and aspirations undampened. We need to be here on the other side.
“With Covid continuing to force new and increasingly difficult trading restrictions upon us, the only correct option for us is to go back into hibernation.”
He added that alcohol sales account for 50% of revenue, and that “99% of the hospitality industry is on its knees and on the edge”.
Bar 44 encouraged customers to visit its online shop which its owners “will once again switch all efforts and focus into”.
The statement said: “No matter what life throws at us past, present or future, we are determined to meet it head on. We wish everyone the absolute best Christmas possible.
“Be kind to all, make a difference to people, no matter what the circumstances.”
Glamorgan Brewing, based at Llantrisant Business Park, said in a statement on Facebook: “This morning, months of preparation have been thrown out of the window & thousands of pints of beer seem destined for the drain.
“Three months of planning; two months of brewing and packaging; 325 casks of Christmas beer ready to sell; four days notice before the shut down of hospitality trade during the busiest month of the year; zero scientific evidence presented showing that these measures will help reduce the spread.
“Disappointed isn’t the word. This announcement will doom countless businesses to permanent closure. Christmas trade is always important to our industry but this year it was absolutely essential and now we see no light at the end of the tunnel.”
The brewery pleaded with customers to support independent businesses adding “we need you more than ever”.