Fears for tiers Food and leisure businesses express their frustration at tighter restrictions
Restaurant
Charles Harris, owner of Libertine Burger, a restaurant in Warwickshire, is “heartbroken” at the decision. Having been moved from Tier 1 pre-lockdown to the highest tier from next week, his restaurant will have to close. He also runs some pubs in the local area which will be affected.
“I was maybe being naive, but we thought we would be in Tier 2 so it came as a shock,” he said.
“We hadn’t even thought about Tier 3.
“December is our busiest time of the year, it’s when we make our money for the rest of the year. I struggle to see a way forward for my pub business.
“We will keep the restaurant going but I think there will have to be job losses.
“I couldn’t be more frustrated with the Government.”
However, he had a note of optimism. “If we can get to the spring and the vaccine arriving then it will be OK. I do feel positive for when we come out of it. There will be a massive boom, it’s just a case of who survives to see it.”
Theatre
Tom Morris is artistic director at Bristol Old Vic, which describes itself as the oldest continuously working theatre in the Englishspeaking world. Under previous “Tier 1-plus” restrictions, theatres in Bristol were allowed to reopen, but this will no longer be the case under the Tier 3 rules.
“Some of the rules don’t make sense,” he said.
“It’s madness that you can’t go to the theatre in Tier 3. Sports and arts are two sides of the same coin nourishing our physical and mental health.”
The Old Vic put into place air circulation systems and social distancing precautions, which has only added to Mr Morris’s frustration the venue will not be able to reopen.
“There is not one single recorded case of an audience member catching Covid at the theatre. We are campaigning for a change to the rules with immediate effect.”
Cookery school
Helen Jack, owner of Food Sorcery in Manchester, will now have to close. The firm provides cooking classes for individuals, work teambuilding events and professional chefs.
She said: “We have been in a high tier since the end of July really, but we were still able to open. We will have to close during December which is usually our busiest time. We were expecting this, but when you actually hear it it’s upsetting.
“The closure will have a significant impact. Around Christmas we sell a lot of gift vouchers.”
She said that the loss of the Christmas party season will also hit them hard. “It’s really frustrating for hospitality as we have been really badly hit by the pandemic.”