UK pubs fear restrictions will ruin business

With more cities in the United Kingdom entering into higher-level lockdown restrictions to combat the pandemic, pubs and bars in the worst-hit areas are facing closure again. The British Beer and Pub Association has said this will place great strain on the industry, and is asking the government for evidence-based, proportionate measures.

The British Prime Minister Boris Johnson last week introduced a three-tiered system of local Covid-19 alert levels in England, in an attempt to stem the second-wave novel coronavirus spread.

Living under tier 2 restrictions means different households are asked not to mix in pubs and bars, which now shut at 10pm, whereas under tier 3 restrictions, the "very high" alert level, pubs and bars, which do not serve meals, must close.

The British Beer and Pub Association, the leading trade association representing brewers and pubs, said that the introduction of the new alert system in the North of England could destroy pub business there.

This could be on top of what is already a very challenging period for the sector with the 10 pm curfew and rule of six, plus service limited to tables, resulting in a huge reduction in consumer confidence, according to the trade association.

It pointed out that no hard evidence has been given yet to suggest that pubs, with their strict adherence to the government guidelines, are unsafe, making it unclear if such blanket measures will make a major difference.

Emma McClarkin, chief executive officer of the British Beer and Pub Association, said, "Singling out pubs for closure and further restrictions is simply the wrong decision, illogical and grossly unfair. Tier two and three restrictions will both decimate pubs, brewers and their supply chains unless a proper package of support is given to them."

According to the Public Health England surveillance report, between 3 and 5 percent of COVID-19 cases were linked to pubs and restaurants over the past month.

"That's why we are calling for a proportionate response to the virus based on tangible transmission evidence," McClarkin said. "Where is the merit in closing pubs to combat the virus based on that information? Especially when they are providing a safe and regulated place for people to meet at."

The hospitality sector was closed from late March to early July and only restarted operations in a social-distanced capacity over the summer. On Sept 24, the government introduced a curfew forcing pubs and restaurants to close at 10 pm.

McClarkin said, "All pubs are already particularly struggling due to the current restrictions and low consumer confidence exacerbated by low footfall caused by a lack of tourists and commuters. These further restrictions will leave most pubs fighting for their very survival. The government must do much more to help them by increasing access to grants and the Job Support Scheme at the very least."

She urged the government to clarify how long these restrictions will be in place and what criteria the decisions for moving in and out of the tiering system will be based on.

"Pubs are unique in the UK and are a part of our culture, beyond the enormous economic value they add is the huge social value they bring to our communities," McClarkin said. "The pub is the beating heart of our communities bringing people together. We will be much poorer without them and we must do all we can to save the great British pub and our great British brewers."

Beer and pubs contributed 23 billion pounds ($29.72 billion) to UK GDP and generated 13 billion pounds in tax revenue in 2018, and in total the sector provided almost 900,000 jobs, according to the British Beer and Pub Association.