Brewery warns against vaccine pub ‘passports’
ASTOCKPORT brewery has warned against entertaining the introduction of vaccine certificates or ‘passports’ to enable people to visit pubs when they reopen.
Pubs from around the borough are getting ready for reopening outside from next week.
From Monday pubs will be able to reopen but customers must order, eat and drink outside while also adhering to the rule of six.
They may also be in a group of any size as long as there are no more than two households present.
Speaking at the Downing Street press conference on Monday, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said a Covid-19 certification system will be developed for use in the UK.
However, he added there was “absolutely no question” of people having to show a vaccine passport to go to the pub or hairdresser when lockdown eases further on Monday.
The government has also said Covid certification will not be used for essential public services, such as public transport and essential shops.
Robinsons Brewery issued a warning following earlier suggestions that pubgoers over the age of 16 may be required to show a ‘vaccine passport’ once they have reopened in order to gain entry.
In a statement, joint managing directors Oliver and William Robinson told the Express: “We are grateful for the cross-party support we have seen, which is challenging this idea. The more rules, regulations and barriers that the government creates, the fewer pubs will be able to viably open, risking further job losses.
“The result will be quite simple: the general public will be attracted to uncontrolled settings, as we saw early last summer and have already begun to see this spring.
“The images of large numbers gathering in parks across the country suggest they are already likely to be vectors of transmission; the public will also be more encouraged to meet in private homes with again no controls in place.”
They also warned of a “potential triple whammy” for venues of vaccine passports, enhanced Track and Trace requirements and the concept of outsideonly payment.