BACK TO BUSINESS! HOSPITALITY THROWS OPEN DOORS AGAIN
PUBS, restaurants, bars and cafes have reopened for outdoor service in Wales for the first time since December.
Groups of up to six people from any number of households can be seated together at the newly reopened hospitality venues, which are subject to strict hygiene measures to prevent the spread of coronavirus.
Yesterday, bars, pubs and restaurants reported being completely booked up for last night and for the rest of the week, but many tables outside businesses were left empty during the afternoon.
Tom Morgan, co-owner of the Pitch Bar & Eatery in Cardiff’s Mill Lane, said it was fully booked up into the May bank holiday weekend.
He said: “This is a big day. We have more space outside than inside, so for us this is the one we’ve been looking out for.
“We really needed today to come so we could start recouping our lost income from the past months. We’re just hoping the good weather lasts so we can keep getting people in.”
Mr Morgan said the Welsh Government’s “late” decision to only announce last week that six people from any number of households can meet up outdoors – where there was previously a two-household limit – meant he has had to unnecessarily reject bookings, which he said was “frustrating”.
“We’re excited. We just hope that this is it now, we’re working for good, and there’s not another lockdown looming, which would be disastrous for us and the majority of hospitality businesses,” he said.
But some businesses which offer little or no outside space have been unable to take advantage of the easing of hospitality rules.
Joe Rapson, owner of La Pantera Mexican-themed bar in the Welsh capital’s Quay Street, said his business would remain closed for sit-ins for now as it only had room for four tables outside.
Though the bar had been thriving with takeaway food sales during lockdown, he said the proposed May 17 reopening of indoor hospitality could not come soon enough.
“I think the government, when they say that outside hospitality can open, has an image in their mind that every venue is like a country pub with a massive beer garden,” he said.
“I don’t think they quite understand that there are venues like ours where we can only fit four tables outside on basically a road. But there are some places that don’t have any outside space.
“But now it seems we only have to wait three weeks, it’s probably made people rest a little easier. If the date had been pushed back, I think there would be a lot more anger.”
Yesterday’s easing of hospitality rules came as organised outdoor activities were also permitted for up to 30 people, and outdoor wedding receptions for the same number, while outdoor visitor attractions can open.
Any six people can now meet up outdoors in Wales, with children under 11 years of age not included in the new six-household limit, nor carers from those households.
Meeting people from other households indoors is still not allowed except in a limited number of circumstances.
First Minister Mark Drakeford said indoor hospitality and all tourist accommodation in Wales could reopen on May 17 were he to lead the country after the May 6 Senedd election, while the main opposition parties have already committed to the same date if they win the poll.
The celebrations started early yesterday – dozens of people queued up outside a Cardiff city-centre bar for its Sunday midnight reopening.
Boom Battle Bar in Cardiff’s Brewery Quarter decided to make the most of the new-found freedom by opening until 3am on the first day of trading. The owners of the bar said they decided on the early opening after seeing the scenes in English cities as pubs re-opened there earlier this month.
More than 60 people queued up to get their hands on their first pub pint despite the near-freezing temperatures.
Bar manager James Finn said Cardiff council, as well as South Wales Police, were aware of their plans to reopen at midnight. Officers from South Wales Police did visit the bar during its brief opening to ensure that all restrictions were being adhered to.
The Boom Battle Bar was the only pub to open at midnight to punters, while the rest of the city centre remained deserted.
Mr Finn said: “We saw some of the bars in England that had done it and it just so happens that our licence allows us to trade during that time.
“I’m sure there are a lot of premises whose licences don’t allow them to trade at that time so I’m sure there would be a few more open if they could. Some of the staff were really keen to do it as well so we thought we’d just go for it.”
Mr Finn said: “We opened last year between the two lockdowns and we caught some of the autumn internationals, which was amazing.
“I’ve grown up in Cardiff so I know it well as a city, but we only got to open two or three weeks during that time, which was tough. We had a really great reaction, it was just a shame that we only had that limited time.”
At the front of the queue ready for their first drink were friends Kyle Hill, Tom Virgo, Holly Khan, and Craig Datzell, who arrived just before midnight.
“We’re very, very eager to come for a drink,” said Holly. “We had a couple of drinks beforehand while prepping and getting ready. There’s definitely the novelty of leading up to midnight
– you’ll never be able to say again “I went back to the pub for the first time at midnight.”
Friends Meeta Halai, Ellie Thomas and Lois Roberts booked just an hour before arriving. Lois said: “We just wanted to make the most of being able to come out finally. We haven’t really been out this year so it’s exciting. It was really last minute – we booked in about an hour before we came.”
Kacper Wieczorek lives nearby and said he had been watching in anticipation as the bar set up.
“We were super-excited, we’ve been planning our first pint for months and we actually live nearby, so have been watching everything get set up, and as soon as we realised it was opening tonight we thought, ‘yes! We’re going!’”
Gary Davies, Joe Rapson and Sam Hooper, all workers at La Pantera, sat outside PennyRoyal bar in Cardiff, a true show of hospitality staff supporting one another.
Gary said: “The beer’s cold, the sun is out, we’re drinking out of a glass again, it’s nice.
“It’s been too long coming, it’s been months. It’s nice to see everyone out having a good time. It’s just great. I’ll be here until the bitter end today, I think, it’s just nice to be out and seeing everyone.”
Joe added: “We have been here pretty much since they opened. We tried to come about half an hour before they did but they kindly told us no. It’s just great, everyone’s out enjoying themselves, you can see the relief on everyone’s faces.
“Everyone’s had a tough time over the last year so I think everyone’s going to be back enjoying themselves and having a nice time.”
Round the corner at The Old Arcade, pals Gareth Parker, Clive Newton, Terry Collins, Mark Shepperd and Geoffrey Povey had been together at their haunt since noon.
“It’s been a long time coming,” Gareth said. “I haven’t seen these gentlemen in I don’t know how long.
“I’ve been working from home now for over a year so to be able to go out and see people is brilliant.”
Terry Collins added: “We’ve been here since 12, it was all booked ahead – for what feels like as long as lockdown was.”
Clive Newton added: “It’s not about the drink, it’s about being able to get out and see people again.”
In Newport, Tom Young, who manages the Pen and Wig, said people were “ecstatic” to have a few pints in the sun.
“The sun’s certainly come out for opening day, so it just shows we’re ready for it,” he said. “We had people here at 10 o’clock this morning when we opened.
“They couldn’t wait to get back in. We haven’t lost any regulars over the lockdown. You do worry about some of the old boys who come in – we kept in touch with a few of them,” said Mr Young.
The pub, which installed an Astroturfed beer garden and outdoor bar to prepare for the reopening, is fully booked until tomorrow and has had to turn away several thirsty revellers.
The garden has capacity to hold 150 people – and Mr Young said he expected 1,000 customers to pass through its doors over the bank holiday weekend.
The Westbourne in Swansea’s Brynmill area was packed.
Royal Mail workers Faye Jones and Karl Burtonshaw –who is also a Radio Tircoed DJ – were among the first returning customers.
“We’ve both worked right through lockdown so it’s nice to see things coming back,” Mr Burtonshaw said.
“I don’t know how long it will actually take before we’re rid of coronavirus but everybody is having their jab so things are moving in a positive direction.
“We’ve worked right through so it has not affected us as badly, but for some people it has really created some isolation. I think it’s the right time for things to be relaxed.”
Swansea University students Kieran Runchman, 25, and Cal Curtis, 22, were enjoying a long-awaited couple of pints at The Westbourne.
The pair said: “It feels like Christmas. All lectures have gone online, you kind of miss going into uni. They can’t do another lockdown.
“It has affected a lot of people mentally.
“We’re lucky because we live together and we’re all mates, but some people live by themselves.”
Among them were George and Sandra Doolan.
“I’m absolutely delighted,” George, 58, said. “It’s our local and it’s nice to see staff we have not seen for a long time.
“We did go up to Liverpool last weekend so had a drink then! During lockdown I have been part of a quiz with friends over Zoom. They have been wondering how I’ve known so much – it’s because I have been stuck inside watching shows like The Chase and Countdown!”
Sandra, 57, added: “It’s been difficult for everybody. I feel more concerned for the elderly.”
The pair have both had and overcome coronavirus since the beginning of the pandemic, but have now received their first vaccinations, with Mr Doolan set to receive his second next week.
University students and couple Lloyd Jones and Brogan Rogers, both 21, were delighted to be back having a drink at The Westbourne.
Lloyd said: “It’s nice to see everybody out and about. It’s just such a nice vibe. University during lockdown it’s been a real struggle, especially with all online learning, but it’s been made harder by not being able to be around your friends. It’s felt like Groundhog Day to an extent.”
Brogan said: “I’ll never say no to the pub again!”
NHS staff in Wales are exhausted and in need of a break but won’t get one due to chronic workforce shortages.
That’s according to leading doctors, who claim it could take “years” for the health service to recover to levels seen before the pandemic hit.
The Royal College of Physicians (RCP) has published new findings on doctor wellbeing from its 20202021 annual census of consultant physicians in Wales.
It found that:
■ 38% said they regularly have problems sleeping;
■ 23% don’t feel healthy;
■ 26% don’t feel as though they have control over their life;
■ 50% tend to dwell on things more than they should;
■ 13% don’t find their work fulfilling;
■ 19% do not feel satisfied with their life;
■ 45% frequently feel frustrated; and
■ 36% often get annoyed.
In an April 2021 RCP membership survey, more than half (59%) of respondents thought it would take at least 18 months for the NHS to recover from the pandemic, while 30% thought it would take over two years.
Dr Olwen Williams, a consultant physician at Besti Cadwaladr University Health Board and vice-president of the Royal College of Physicians (RCP), said many doctors in Wales are exhausted, demoralised and frustrated.
She said: “To put it bluntly, we need more doctors. Waiting-lists are getting longer. NHS staff are exhausted and need a break, but there aren’t enough of us to go round.
“By 2030, older people in Wales will make up a third of the total population and many of them will need support from the NHS and social care.
“Yet it takes more than 10 years to train a doctor which is why it’s so important that the next Welsh Government increases medical school places as soon as possible. Our recent report, ‘Recover, rebuild,
renew’, sets out our action plan for the next government.”
Dr Jack Parry-Jones, the Faculty of Intensive Care Medicine lead for Wales, wrote an open letter to physicians thanking them for their “extraordinary” contribution to the NHS over the past 12 months.
He acknowledged that without the efforts of acute medicine, general medicine, respiratory and infectious disease teams, critical care could have been “completely overwhelmed”.
“How did critical care cope with the impact of successive pandemic waves? In short, we couldn’t have coped without help,” he said.
“Even with increased critical care capacity, we would never have managed without the care physicians provided. The support from acute medicine, general medicine, and more directly respiratory and infectious disease teams in providing care for large numbers of critically ill patients in high respiratory care areas has been extraordinary.
“These areas are providing highdependency care usually done in critical care units and have provided a crucial buffer in stopping critical care from being completely overwhelmed.”
Dr Parry-Jones said the pandemic has shone a light on the health and social inequalities that exist in Wales.
He added: “In Wales we have been more vulnerable than many to the worst effects of the Covid-19 pandemic. It came as no surprise that chronic social deprivation, poverty, obesity, old age, and close living conditions are all excess risk factors for serious morbidity and death. The medical community in Wales has a long, proud history of highlighting these inequalities, alongside efforts to mitigate them.”
Latest data from the Welsh Government has revealed that 549,353 people were awaiting treatment or surgery as of February – the equivalent of 17% of the Welsh population.
Of those, almost 218,000 (39.6%) had been waiting more than nine months (36 weeks) for treatment, a figure which is eight times higher than the same period 12 months earlier.
But it must be noted that there have been some improvements, with the number of those waiting the longest falling 4,194 between January and February.
Nearly all non-urgent treatment and appointments were postponed by the Welsh Government in March 2020 to prepare for the first wave of Covid-19 patients. The disruption caused also led to a huge increase in people waiting for diagnostic tests to either confirm an illness or rule out a disease.
There were 1,752 waiting more than 14 weeks in February last year; now that has increased to more than 38,000 – a 2,072% rise.
In light of these anticipated upcoming demands on the health service in Wales, the RCP said it has welcomed commitments from Senedd candidates to increase the medical workforce by establishing a medical school in north Wales and increasing the number of doctors and healthcare professionals in the NHS.
The organisation said this must be an “urgent priority” for the new Welsh Government in its first few months in office.
Dr Alice Hoole, a specialty trainee doctor in acute medicine, said the pandemic changed everything overnight for her and her colleagues. But she admitted that it has allowed the NHS to speed up its ways of working.
“To provide medical education for redeployed clinicians, I developed new digital learning tools and an interactive, multi-specialty programme of teaching, which improved our team-working skills, wellbeing and morale,” she said.
“As we emerge from the pandemic, I would like to see more of a focus on the wellbeing of healthcare professionals.
“Staffing pressures, as well as the vast and ever-increasing workload at the front door, need to be addressed to help us provide the best care for our patients in the future.”