Pandemic hangover

The United Kingdom’s famed pub industry is facing a bitter recovery from the coronavirus pandemic, with a major pub chain reporting a slowdown in business. Data from JD Wetherspoon, which runs 925 pubs, indicates that sales since the start of August are down compared with pre-pandemic levels, though not as bad as the previous 10 weeks, when pubs reopened inside with tight restrictions.

Older drinkers, who are more vulnerable to COVID-19, are staying home. Sales of beverages they typically prefer, such as draft ales and stout, have plunged.

Wetherspoon Chairman Tim Martin said customers are being “understandably cautious,” and the sales outlook depends on what happens with the coronavirus.

Meanwhile, sales of cocktails and alcohol for mixed drinks surged, a sign younger drinkers are returning. But food and coffee sales slid because customers are still working from home during the pandemic.

The company also said supply chain woes have eased in recent weeks. In September, it said some beer brands had run out, but overall stock levels are now in line with previous years, with only a “minority of items” affected.