New limits on orders threatens beer taps
Drivers’strike fear could hammer pub trade
Pub chiefs have revealed how a shortage of delivery drivers has put pressure on taps at Ayrshire bars.
Kegs have started to run dry at a number of watering holes across Scotland with brewing heavyweights cutting back and cancelling orders at short notice.
Belhaven and Heineken are among those worst hit so far, ahead of proposed driver strikes which are set to hammer the trade.
Boozers are now being hit by restrictions on how much drink they can order as the licensing trade bids to fully re-start following Covid restrictions.
And some local bars say the industry has been caught short by the return to normality.
David Storrie, who runs Ayr’s Smoking Goat, revealed: “The industry as a whole is struggling to get to grips with coming out the other side of Covid.
“Suppliers have opened everything up at once and don’t have the ability to cope.
“They’re coming off the back of 18 months where production has been so low.
“Now there is huge demand and the staffing levels aren’t there to produce what’s needed.”
David, whose trendy bar is up for Most Improved Beer Garden at the upcoming Dram Awards, added: “We’ve been quite fortunate so far in terms of the shortages and our supply has remained good.
“But the stories from around the industry are really bad and general staffing levels are an issue at the moment for many venues.
“The hospitality trade completely shut down during Covid so a lot of those people decided to go off and get other jobs – that’s why you’re seeing an increasing number of places struggle to open normal hours.”
It comes as Buzzworks announced its decision to trial Monday closures at Lido in Prestwick.
The company said it had taken the decision to “protect staff wellbeing and productivity” while “combatting staff shortages felt across the hospitality industry”.
Dunbar-based Belhaven has said major delays in their supply chain are being caused by shortages in gas used to make their products.
Jon Neil, general manager of Ayr’s Arthur Street Kitchen Group, said: “The problem isn’t a shortage of beer – it’s the shortage of drivers to deliver it at present. But you can see the industry is changing and Covid has undoubtedly brought that about.
“If the pandemic hadn’t happened, we wouldn’t be seeing the issues we are now in terms of certain venues struggling to find staff.
“But you’ve had 1000 pubs across Britain fail to come out of lockdown and a lot of staff have looked elsewhere for jobs during that time.
“Thankfully, as a company we are in a good place and are preparing to open our new venue in Ayr, the Drunken Coo, so we’re looking ahead with a lot of positivity.”
Managing director of the Scottish Licensed Trade Association, Colin Wilkinson, warned that for certain venues, getting supplied was “an absolute nightmare”.
He admitted: “There definitely will be some pubs which are running out.
“The licensing trade has always been very flexible and can bend to customer demand so I hope customers can understand the situation we are in at the moment.”