Western Morning News (Saturday)
Pub garden route to reopening ‘not viable’
PUB landlords have poured cold water on the idea of being allowed to reopen if they have a beer garden.
A partial opening up would not be economical, they say, dismissing the idea suggested by environment secretary George Eustice that pubs with outdoor space could lead the hospitality sector out of lockdown.
Mr Eustice says the sector is among those facing the greatest challenges, but held out the prospect that some pubs might be able to open up, although that is unlikely “until at least July”.
“The sectors that are going to have the greatest challenge getting back to work, which we recognise, and I’m sure the Chancellor recognises this too – the hospitality sector and some of those other ticketed venues, in particular cinemas and in particular theatres, restaurants and pubs, will also face a challenge getting back in to operation,” the Camborne and Redruth MP told Sky News.
“And that is why we won’t be loosening the restrictions on them until at least July and even then it is likely that in the case of pubs and restaurants it will begin with beer gardens and outdoor areas only.”
However, pub bosses say opening only outdoor spaces to drinkers and diners is unlikely to be a viable option for most.
Landlord Lloyd Halliday said the cost of a partial reopening would be no less than having a pub fully functioning while income would be greatly reduced.
“As much as I would be glad to be open as soon as possible to get back to normal, we have agreed that we will open completely or not at all,” said Mr Halliday who runs the Halfway House in Polbathic, south-east Cornwall with his wife, Kirsty.
“It would cost us just as much to open up the kitchen and serve 10 people in the garden as it would to serve 50 people in the restaurant.
“We would have the same number of staff working and it would just not be cost effective.
“It is hard going but until we hear that we can open up fully, we won’t open.”
St Austell Brewery, which has about 180 pubs and hotels across the Cornwall, Devon and Somerset, said few hostelries would be able to trade profitably without opening up indoors as well.
Steve Worrall, retail director of the brewery, told the BBC: “We’re really concerned – I can assure you there’s very few pubs out there that can make that economically viable.”
He said he would urge the Government to allow pubs to open fully when it was safe to do so.
Another key issue for the hospitality trade is the current two-metre social distancing rule.
Kate Nicholls, of UK Hospitality, told a meeting of tourism leaders and MPs in Devon last week with other countries adopting a onemetre rule, the British stance needed to be questioned. A two-metre rule would mean the loss of 70% of trade compared with a 30% dip if social distancing were set at one metre.
The industry is urging the Government to think again. Boris Johnson told the House of Commons liaison committee earlier this week that he would ask the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage) to review the policy.
Meanwhile some pubs and chains are continuing to put in place measures ready for reopening.
JD Wetherspoon, chaired by the Exeter-based entrepreneur Tim Martin,
said last week it was spending £11 million to help make its 874 pubs across the UK and Ireland Covid-19 safe.
Changes include hand sanitisers throughout the premises for customers and staff, cleaning of contact points continually during opening hours and screens at tills. Staff will have to take part in temperature checks.
Emma McClarkin, of the British Beer and Pub Association, has said more than three quarters of pubs could reopen right away if social distancing rules were relaxed. Forty per cent of members feared they could go bust by September.