Brewers in plea for help

ONE of Wales’s longestserving brewers has issued an impassioned plea for help, saying the drinks industry in Wales faces “total collapse” after a year of disruption.

Simon Buckley, chairman of the Brewers of Wales and founder of the Evan Evans brewery in Llandeilo, has penned an open letter to the First Minister Mark Drakeford where he raises fears of financial ruin for the sector unless clarity on reopening and financial support are provided.

Pubs, restaurants and cafés cam resume outdoor services in Wales on Monday, while the same businesses across the border in England have been able to serve outdoors since last Monday.

Mr Buckley’s letter comes after a Cardiff bar launched legal action against the Welsh Government over when hospitality can reopen and other landlords expressed frustration over the difference between Wales and England’s approach.

Mr Buckley said the group, which also includes the Rhymney Brewery, employs more than 100 people in Wales but had seen its profits plummet in the 12 months since the pandemic began.

“We have already seen major failures in the sector, with the collapse of SA Brains, and with it over 100 years of Welsh heritage,” he said.

Mr Buckley, who in the letter explains that he spent almost 13 weeks in hospital after contracting Covid-19, said most pub owners and brewers were “in favour of creating safe environments and running pubs to meet the current social distancing restrictions”.

But he said it had been a year since most brewers had worked properly and that their main trade had been hampered by “systematic lockdowns across our main markets of east Wales which have garnered uncertainty and a lack of consumer confidence”.

Warning of the risk of the sector’s “total collapse” unless restrictions on their operating hours were eased, he added: “Many brewers and pubs here in Wales have haemorrhaged cash over lockdown, so much so that the lack of working capital in our industry is now causing real problems in getting business back up and running.”

He said there was “considerable uncertainty” which was making it difficult for the sector to prepare to reopen, and that many had “heard nothing” on financial support despite being given a deadline by the Welsh Government to apply for the grants which are available.

The open letter states: “Many of us have had to write off tens of thousands of pounds of stock, and look at staff reductions. We have continued to fund staff through furlough whilst having zero income. In the case of Evan Evans [this is] over £30,000 since December.

“The lack of support means that the industry can not bounce back as planned. There is no hint as to what is happening or when we can expect the cash settlements.”

He said this information being fed to the First Minister would “paint the wrong picture” and asked for the Brewers of Wales to be allowed more input into how the sector was supported in Wales.

He even invited Mr Drakeford for a drink.

He ends the letter: “I personally extend an invitation to you and Leslie Griffiths to come to the Cricketers in Cardiff at 4pm on [April 26] for an early evening opening day celebratory drink.

“We serve non-alcoholic drinks.”

A spokesperson for the Welsh Government said it would “continue to take a careful step-by-step approach” to reopening the hospitality industry, which is set to reopen for outdoor dining on April 26 in Wales.

“To date we have provided more than £2bn in business support during the pandemic, safeguarding 165,000 Welsh jobs.

“Our comprehensive package of financial support for Welsh businesses will continue throughout April and into May. Many businesses will already have received their full share of the £180m funding announced in mid-march upfront to see them through until May.”

The spokesperson added that another £200m in business support “has already been earmarked in the final budget 2021-22.

“Ministers have had a constructive meeting with representatives from the hospitality sector and Welsh Government officials will work with them on options for a further support package to be put to the new government following May’s Senedd election.”