SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL
» Our campaign to help the town’s beloved pubs bounce back from pandemic
THE Gloucestershire Echo and Cheltenham Live have launched a Support Your Local campaign to help the town’s pubs get through the pandemic.
Many beloved locals up and down the country have fallen victim to coronavirus, with the restrictions imposed during the pandemic wreaking havoc on the industry. Some, such as Flynn’s Bar and Brasserie in Montpellier, closed their doors for good.
And with pubs being such an important part of the Cheltenham social scene, we don’t want that happening to other venues in our town.
But it won’t be easy for some, even now that customers are allowed back inside their premises.
Landlords have had to keep their venues closed for lengthy periods since the first lockdown began in March 2020, and when open, they’ve had to operate with restrictions and crippling uncertainty.
Figures released in January 2021 revealed almost 10,000 licensed premises – including pubs, clubs and restaurants – closed permanently in 2020 as the crisis hammered the sector.
A report by consultants CGA and business advisory firm Alixpartners showed there was a net reduction of 5,975 sites across Britain in 2020 when new openings were taken into account. This represents a 175 per cent rise in net closures compared with 2019.
So far there hasn’t been a rash of pub closures in Cheltenham, though some delayed their opening while they carried out refurbishment. Tailors in Cambray Place, for instance, reopened fully last Thursday rather than on May 17 – the date pubs were allowed by law to have customers back inside.
Other pubs managed to reopen when on May 17 but complained about having difficulty finding staff to serve their drinks and food. Since the start of the coronavirus pandemic we’ve spoken to plenty of landlords across the town to discover what challenges they face and how people can support them.
Ed Anderson told us how he was faring with his three pubs – The Railway, The Swan and The Vine.
Although he said he has £140,000 worth of rent debt on the three premises, he is optimistic that a good summer would help him to deal with that.
He said: “I’m very optimistic for this summer. I think we’ll do all right.
“People want to get out and about and see each other. I think they have missed each other.”
As part of our new campaign, we’ll be championing even more of Cheltenham’s
pubs, from large, well-known establishments in the heart of the town to community hubs on its fringes.
We’re keen to hear from as many landlords as possible, whether it’s because you want to shout about your recent refurbishment or simply because you want to get something off your chest, so please do get in touch.
If you’re a landlord and would like to get in touch with one of our reporters about a possible story, email gloslive
I’m very optimistic for this summer. People want to get out and about and see each other. I think they have missed each other Pub landlord Ed Anderson