Message to PM from the pub

AN eccentric pub landlord has sent a video message to Prime Minister Boris Johnson on the plight of hospitality businesses, as some experts warn pubs could have to stay closed until May to help beat coronavirus.

Steve Cotten runs the quirky Poltimore Arms at Brayford on Exmoor which dates back to the 17th Century. It has no mains electricity, water or gas – but does boast at least three pianos.

Like all pubs it is currently closed under coronavirus lockdown. Sources suggest the Government and its advisors fear pubs could have to stay closed until early summer – because opening them up would risk creating a new spike in Covid-19.

In his video message to the PM – who hails from nearby Winsford – Steve is sitting in a chair with a pint, stroking his cat Frederick Albert Hitler.

“Hello Boris,” he says. “I’m the landlord of the Poltimore Arms in Yarde Down, Brayford, Exmoor. Totally remote pub, no neighbours I haven’t got any neighbours for a mile and a half. I haven’t got electricity, no mains or anything, I haven’t even got a telephone, I haven’t got broadband – I’ve got nothing.

“I’m just a pub in the middle of nowhere - it’s one of the great pubs in great Britain, the same as every other pub in Great Britain is great.”

The video then switches to Steve walking through his empty pub. “This is a bar - it’s an empty bar, but it’s a bar,” he says. “This is a lounge. It’s an empty lounge in an empty pub. There’s an empty piano with no piano player. There’s another piano, there’s Fred the cat in an empty lounge in an empty pub. Not even the fire’s going.”

Finally, the video – which can be viewd on the WMN’s sister website, DevonLive – shows a mock skeleton sitting in a chair with the words ‘Customer very much dead’ across the screen. Next to him is a halfempty pint glass.

“This is a customer in a pub in January 2021, sat by the fire. The fire’s going, it looks lovely,and Fred the cat again,” Steve continues. “This is a pub in 2021 and this is my only customer, sat by a roaring log fire with a pint of beer which is going to last him forever - typical old person.”

Under current guidelines, cafes, restaurants, pubs, bars and social clubs must remain closed, apart from providing food and drink for takeaway, drive-through or delivery. Businesses providing takeaway services must close at 23:00 and off-sales must stop at 20:00. Outdoor areas must not be used. Landlords at other Westcountry pubs fear the worse if the lockdown continues and there is too little financial support.

Alice Bryan at The Bishops Blaize, Exeter, has had her first year of trading during the pandemic. She said: “Before lockdown people would come in and have a chat with one another, friendships were formed.

“But now you’re being a security guard, a law enforcer and worrying about cleaning the toilets 24/7, it’s a lot of pressure on us.”

Chris Simmonds at The Queens Arms in Brixham echoed Alice’s thoughts but said if it was necessary to remain closed for another four months to bring coronavirus under control he would understand.

He said: “It’s difficult really because it depends on how you look at it, if doing that brings the end of this and we can open as a pub and not have to close again, I wouldn’t like it but I could live with it.

“Personally, I’m struggling as a business as you have nothing to offer people, there’s no hope or glimmer of light, it’s absolutely ridiculous what they’ve done to the hospitality industry.”

He said one elderly customer, for whom the pub was his life, had seen all socialising “torn away” adding: “He doesn’t understand it.”

Hello Boris. Here’s an empty bar in an empty pub, not even the fire’s going’ STEVE COTTEN, LANDLORD