Hospitality industry in a ‘fragile situation’
New blow for pubs as people cancel bookings over Covid fears
A Newbury pub landlord has said “there are no words” to describe the hit his business has taken after the Government moved the Covid alert level from three to four.
Pete Lumber, who runs The Newbury in Bartholomew Street, said more than 50 per cent of bookings had been cancelled as residents become more cautious.
The rapid spread of the new Omicron variant through England has led to a change in Government guidance and the ramping up of the booster roll-out.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson warned of a “tidal wave” of infections in a message to the nation on Sunday, and advised people to return to working from home if possible.
Mr Lumber said the announcements had been “devastating”.
He said: “There are hardly any words to describe it.
“We’re 50 per cent down on 2019, and we’re over 50 per cent down on that 50 per cent, so we’re running at about 25 per cent of what we normally would.
“Every day we come in and there’s something that’s been cancelled.
“It’s really devastated me as a business owner because – like any other pub or restaurant – we rely on Decem
ber to get us through January and February.
“I don’t know what January or February holds for us.
“They’re quiet months. “If they’re any quieter, I think a lot of businesses are going to go to the wall.
“We’re in a very fragile situation.”
Mr Lumber added that the Government needed to step in and help the hospitality industry financially to get through the winter.
Similarly, Tom Moran, the general manager of Sandford Springs Hotel near Kingsclere, said it had been affected as the mood has become more cautious
in the lead-up to Christmas.
He said: “After the year that hospitality has had to endure with staff shortages and supply issues, it is a great shame that we are now faced with these late cancellations.
“That said, most people have been great, agreeing to rebook for the spring.
“I just hope that everyone here stays safe and that we
are not hit with further restrictions that might scupper our planned Christmas Day and New Year’s Eve celebrations.”
One restaurant that hasn’t suffered from cancellations so far is the Woodpecker Inn in Wash Common.
Landlady Emma Winter said: “We’ve got 58 Christmas bookings and not one of them has cancelled.
“A lot of my customers are locals that have booked.
“Luckily I haven’t got big parties booked in, they’re all two to six people.
“At the moment we haven’t been affected, we’ll just play it by ear over the next week or so.”
Every day we come in and there’s something that’s been cancelled