‘Grey area’ for pubs over alcohol sales in lockdown
Pubs have been left in a “grey area” over alcohol sales due to the new Lockdown 3 restrictions.
As the country was plunged into another lockdown, which came into effect on Tuesday, the hospitality industry had to come to grips with yet another round of restrictions – with new rules around the sale of takeaway alcohol causing the most problems for city publicans.
Lockdown 3 regulations state that pubs and restaurants, while permitted to still offer takeaway and click and collect food, cannot offer that service for alcohol. Alcohol from such premises can only be delivered.
The new rules only allow for the takeaway and click and collect sale of alcohol from off-licences and licenced shops, including breweries.
It’s believed that the sale of open pints during the previous tiers system led to people, at locations across the country, congregating outside and not adhering to social distancing.
For Sunderland publi - can Walter Veti, who owns the historic Saltgrass pub in Deptford, it’s a ruling which has exacerbated an already difficult time.
Takeaway sales, of minikegs and cocktail jars, which are all sealed, collected from the pub, and consumed at home, has allowed his business to survive.
His specific licence is an off-licence licence, so he’s awaiting clarity from Sunderland City Council on whether
he can continue to sell alcohol to be taken away. In the meantime, he’s working on a delivery model for sales of alcohol i n c lud i n g p o pu l a r b rews from the likes of Tiny Rebel.
"It’s a bit of grey area at the minute,” he explained. “Last year, to give pubs a fighting chance, temporary licences were issued to allow for the sale of open pints for takeaway. Our existing licence, however, always had an offlicence attached to it, which I’m awaiting clarification on.
“I understand the prob
lems with open pints, but our to 1901, fully they have been takeaway drinks have always doing takeaway food and albeen sealed for people to concohol for people to enjoy at sume at home. At the end of home, which has been doing the day, we would rather trade well. than have to rely on grants The sudden clampdown which, although are welcome, on takeaway alcohol means are a drop in the ocean to what they will be left with stock you could make in sales." that will soon go out of date.
The Mountain Daisy in Scott said: “I feel it’s really Hylton Road was taken over disappointing that our trade in November last year by Scott has been singled out. Pubs are Allsop and his business partstruggling enough without ner .having further restrictions
"Although they haven’t placed on us. been able to open the land"I understand one of the mark pub, which dates back reasons is people congregating to drink what they have bought, but feel people can do this with alcohol bought from shops and supermarkets.
"I don't see how alcohol bought from pubs is any different. We sell 3-litre and 5-litre boxes intended to give people access to draught b e e r s / l a ge r s /c id e r i n th e comfort of their own home. Every box has been collected by customers driving who have then gone home. I see no difference in this than someone buying alcohol from their local shop.”