Pubs are being put to the slaughter like ‘sacrificial lambs’ in order to unlock other parts of the economy, landlords have fumed in the face of fresh restrictions.
They accuse Boris Johnson of failing to provide evidence that tighter measures on the hospitality sector will help reduce the spread of infection this winter.
The Prime Minister yesterday announced that pubs in Tier 2 can only serve drinks with a ‘substantial meal’, while those in Tier 3 are limited to just takeaways.
Meanwhile non-essential retail and gyms were given the green light to fully reopen, as was indoor entertainment venues in Tiers 1 and 2.
Nik Antona, chief executive of CAMRA, railed: ‘Pubs – particularly those which don’t serve food – are being offered up as a sacrificial lamb without any evidence or explanation as to why they are being treated more harshly than the likes of shops and gyms.’
Greene King chief executive Nick Mackenzie revealed this morning that there has only been a handful of cases across hundreds of the chain’s pubs since the summer.
Greene King chief executive Nick Mackenzie railed against the measures yesterday announced by the Prime Minister (right)
The hospitality industry has borne the brunt of the harshest restrictions since the beginning of the pandemic. Pictured: Closed pub on Tottenham Court Road
He told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: ‘It is baffling that they (the Government) continue to single out the hospitality industry and particularly pubs.
‘The evidence we have from our own figures is that transmission levels are very low in pubs.
‘We’ve had less than 40 contacts from track and trace across our 1,500 pubs since we opened on July 6, and that’s a very common story across the sector.
‘And that’s why we get very frustrated by pubs being put front and centre in pretty much every announcement the Government makes around restrictions.’
The hospitality industry has borne the brunt of the harshest restrictions since the beginning of the pandemic – closed in both national lockdowns – leaving thousands of community pubs fighting for survival.
Mr McKenzie branded yesterday’s measures – unveiled by Mr Johnson in the House of Commons via Zoom – a ‘disaster’ for the sector.
He said: ‘December is a critical month for the sector – 25 per cent a business makes comes in December.
‘It’s left me feeling that my sector is being unfairly targeted from decision-makers in Government.’
Mr Antona rowed in behind the Greene King boss and called for more government support to shore up pub finances.
He said: ‘CAMRA is calling on the Government to introduce a decent, dedicated financial support package, and to think again on these restrictions which will force many pubs and the breweries that serve them to close their doors for good and never reopen.’
Pubs can take advantage of the furlough scheme and loans, but many are still grappling with high rents and overheads.
Yesterday the Prime Minister revealed the national lockdown will end on December 2, but Britain will go back to a stricter system of tiers until March 31.
Gary Murphy, landlord of the Ye Olde Mitre Inn, High Barnet, London, told MailOnline that 97 per cent of his profits come from drink sales – but he is going to try to adapt to the new measures ‘in desperation’ because the pub has been burning through funds to the extent he has not paid himself a wage since March
He is expected to tomorrow carve up the nation into three alert levels, leaving businesses anxiously waiting to hear which curbs they will face.
Pub landlords lined up to tear strips off the new package of measures which they called the ‘final nail in the coffin’ for the beleaguered industry.
Gary Murphy, landlord of the Ye Olde Mitre Inn, High Barnet, London, told MailOnline that 97 per cent of his profits come from drink sales – but he is going to try to adapt to the new measures ‘in desperation’ because the pub has been burning through funds to the extent he has not paid himself a wage since March.
He said: ‘I only have a tiny kitchen and most customers come here to drink, not eat. It changes my entire business which relies on drinks.’
He added: ‘I haven’t been taking any money personally since march. I’ve been living off my savings, and my wife also works.
‘The pub’s been generating a loss and now we’re faced with the prospect of having to open with food, so out of sheer desperation I’m going to try to open because I’ve got to do something to get out of this awful situation.’
The onerous tiered system which the Prime Minister has said will remain in place until March 31
Peter Tiley, landlord of The Salutation Inn, Gloucestershire, a former winner of National Pub of the Year, said he would not be able to open if forced to serve a meal.
He told MailOnline: ‘I’m gutted. I think it’s a real slap in the face for community wet-led pubs. Neither of my pubs serve food and they’re deliberately designed that way so people can come in, for a chat, without feeling like they’re imposing on a restaurant.’
Kate Nicholls, head of UK Hospitality, told MailOnline: ‘It is vital that lockdown is ended for hospitality as well as other parts of the economy – we cannot pay the highest price in terms of our viability to allow shops and gyms to reopen.
‘The previous Tier 2 and Tier 3 restrictions had a devastating impact on jobs and livelihoods with three in four businesses saying that they would be unviable operating under those conditions for the next three months.
‘It would unacceptable if lockdown ended only in name for hospitality, jeopardising a million jobs.’