PUB BOSSES RAGE AT COVID ALCOHOL BAN
PUBS and restaurants have reacted to new hospitality rules to control the spread of coronavirus - with many planning to close up while they remain in place.
On Monday First Minister Mark Drakeford announced pubs, cafes and restaurants will have to close at 6pm and cannot serve alcohol at all.
It comes as Covid cases increase in parts of Wales and he said he was following advice from UK scientific body SAGE on the best ways to tackle the spike.
These new rules will be in place until December 17 at the earliest with many fearing it will drag on longer than that.
It means temporary closure for some - with one landlord of a popular Bangor pub saying “people don’t come in for a lemonade”.
The substantial package of support from Welsh Government has been welcomed.
The new rules come in at 6pm on Friday.
John Evans, landlord of the Black Boy pub in Caernarfon, said they will shut on Friday.
He said: “There is no point opening under these rules - if there was alcohol with a meal we’d have a chance and everything would just be moved earlier but as it is we are better closed and staff on furlough.
“I’m thinking of staff too, they took a lot of stick during Eat Out to Help Out and when trying to explain rules to some people, they don’t seem to realise we don’t make the rules. It’s a no win situation for them.
“At the moment we are closed ‘until further notice’ - we could open on the 17th but I could also see us closed until after New Year.
“It’s not fair on those many pubs and restaurants who have followed the rules and done the right thing.
“The loss of revenue will be astronomical - we’ll have to throw beer and other stock away.”
Patrick Barry, who runs Patrick’s Bar in Upper Bangor, said: “I just can’t see many coming in at all - they don’t come here for lemonade and I can’t even serve them a shandy. We don’t really have a big market for takeaway beers and the students will go soon, so there is no point staying open while these rules are in place.
“The supermarkets are the winners again - no track and trace, no wiping everything down but they can keep selling alcohol and people will buy it there and some will mix in homes, we see it here already with a lot of students.
“We’ve just had a lad start up a new food offering here but he opened at 5pm - he’d have an hour under these new rules! I’ve ordered a Christmas tree, I don’t even know if it’s worth picking up now.”
CAMRA National Chairman Nik Antona said: “Restrictions that force hundreds of pubs to close and devastate trade for those able to remain open to serve meals could be the final straw for Welsh pubs and the breweries that supply them.
“There is simply no evidence that a draconian alcohol ban will stop the spread of Covid-19. What is clear is that our pub culture is being used as a convenient scapegoat for the spread of the pandemic.
“This is a huge blow for businesses in the beer, cider and pubs sector that have invested thousands to make their venues Covid-secure and are now being hit at what would normally be their busiest time of the year.
“The Welsh Government must publish the evidence that serving alcohol has been a factor in spreading the virus to justify these devastating restrictions and offer adequate financial support. Otherwise, we risk losing Welsh pubs forever.”
UK Hospitality Cymru executive director David Chapman said:”Let’s be clear: at this time of year, when businesses can trade up to 25 per cent of annual turnover - and above -the new restrictions are a massive blow to hospitality in Wales as well as our loyal customers and workforce as we head towards Christmas and the New Year.
“We feel isolated and feel we are unjustly bearing the brunt of Government actions when retail and other areas are allowed to trade relatively unhindered.
“These businesses have been devastated all year, struggled to stay afloat in the face of diminished consumer confidence and stifling measures and, even with financial support, this could be a hurdle too many.
“We can take some comfort from the swift response to our direct appeals for vital support by the financial support being offered by the Welsh Government, though.”
First Minister Mark Drakeford said: “I am very grateful for everything the sector has done. I know these restrictions will be difficult.
“Unfortunately, we continue to face a virus that will exploit every opportunity when we spend time with one another.”