It’s been long-awaited by many, but bit by bit the concept of restrictions rolling back fully today — ‘Freedom Day’ — has unravelled.
Pubs will open today with many making minimal changes to their existing rules. In the one I work in we are letting people order and pick up drinks from the bar. But they must be seated at a table, and masks are compulsory when they are standing.
Some pubs are sticking with table service for now. In fact, some say that their customers have got used to it and prefer it. Drinking at the bar? So 2019…
As if the virus hadn’t been damaging enough, pubs and bars are facing a staffing crisis, too. Down in my part of the world, Cornwall, where we have lot of tourist this year, it is particularly acute.
And there is the constant threat of the covid app ping which, at best, means rearranging rotas, and at worse can close premises.
The publican’s problems don’t end there. The VAT reduction to 5% for hospitality is coming to an end, as is the business rates holiday. They face mounting bills without an equivalent rise in income.
There is a degree of good news. Forty-one per cent of people say they will now visit the pub more often as restrictions lift. This is according to a survey by KAM Media, on behalf of the British Beer & Pub Association (BBPA), and the Long Live The Local campaign.
The survey also noted that: 59% of pub-goers said they are looking forward to meeting up with friends and family more easily; 47% were looking forward to the atmosphere returning to normal; 29% missed chatting to pub staff like they used to; and 51% of those who visit a pub more than once a week said they were most looking forward to ordering at the bar once more.
Huge moment
Emma McClarkin, chief executive of the BBPA, said: “Brits are looking forward to enjoying our pubs as they are meant to be. The return of the proper pub atmosphere and being able to order at the bar are top of the list of returning freedoms for many.
“After nearly 18 months of closure or heavy restrictions, this is a huge moment for our sector. Only now can the recovery of our pubs and breweries begin.
“In just about every village, town and city across the country pubs are the heart of our communities. That’s why I’m backing Long Live The Local to help our pubs and the breweries that supply them thrive.”
