Breweries’ concerns after ban on takeaway alcohol
BREWERIES IN Yorkshire have had their say after campaigners have urged the Government to reverse the “baffling” decision to restrict the sale of takeaway alcohol during a second national lockdown.
Official guidelines state that although restaurants, bars and pubs must close from Thursday, food takeaway and delivery services are still permitted – but serving alcohol to take away is not.
Industry bosses have warned that the expected ban will result in “thousands of gallons of beer ( being) poured down drains” and said that guidance that is not “evidence- based” should be challenged.
Russ Clarke, founder of Amity Brew Co in Farsley, Leeds, launched the business as a takeaway service under lockdown and was getting ready to open new premises for brewing. He said: “It’s obviously concerning, I think, the uncertainty and ambiguity about what’s allowed and what’s not allowed.”
Mr Clarke said the Government may have acted after problems arose in the first lockdown when there were reports of venues “serving pints with lids on” and people gathering. But he said the ban “would put “every part of the supply chain at risk if draught beer isn’t available for some sort of takeaway”.
Meanwhile, David Braysmith, co- founder of the Pumphouse Brewing in Driffield, said: “We’re already 70 per cent down on what our predictions were for this time of year. How many hits can you take?”
Downing Street was resisting calls to allow pubs to make off- licence sales during the lockdown. The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said: “What we’re seeking to do is to reduce the number of gatherings which might take place where there might be social contact that might lead to transmission of the virus.”