Pubs and bars could be the last businesses allowed to reopen when lockdown restrictions are eased, according to reports.
Measures are expected to remain in place until late March, with the government reportedly looking at a gradual release of restrictions over the course of several months.
It is understood that ministers are looking at the first bank holiday in May as a possible reopening day for pubs.
A source told The Sunday Times: “The May Day bank holiday is more likely the moment you see pubs reopening.”
Seth Weisfeld / Unsplash
It is another blow to the hospitality industry who were no longer permitted to sell takeaway pints in the latest lockdown.
There are now fears pubs could face permanent closure, as most brits won’t have visited a pub since last summer.
The Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) has explained the ban on takeaway pints as a ‘death knell for many pubs’.
CAMRA chairman Nik Antona said: “What is particularly concerning in the latest announcement has been the confusion around whether pubs will be able to operate on a level playing field with supermarkets and off-licences during this lockdown – as they have been able to previously.
“Takeaway sales, in sealed containers, for people to take home, were a real lifeline for the trade in previous lockdowns and restricting that route to market now would be a death knell for many pubs.
“This will once again provide an unfair advantage to supermarkets and off-licences that don’t face similar restrictions.”
Ask your MP to back our campaign to treat pubs in England fairly and let them sell beer & cider to take-away & drink at home during this new lockdown – just like supermarkets and off-licences can.
They added: “It is clear now more than ever that the Government must introduce a new, long-term and sector-specific financial support package to help these businesses survive the coming months.
“While one-off grant support is welcome, it is nowhere near enough to cover the hemorrhaging costs for pubs and breweries that don’t see any end in sight.”
Chief executive of pub group Marston’s, Ralph Findlay, told the MEN that the government needs to step up and extend the business rates holiday beyond April. He said: “The pub sector has been closed for much of the last nine months and remains in a very difficult position.
“Regrettably there have been casualties across the sector and it is vital that the government reviews urgently the opportunity to continue to support pubs as we reopen the economy in the coming weeks.
“Pubs are viable businesses which are part of the social fabric of Britain and which make a major contribution to the economy and the communities in which they serve.
“It is vital that they not only survive the short-term crisis but are supported in order to recover and flourish.
“Extending the business rates holiday and VAT cut for the rest of this year is a minimum requirement.”
Gonzalo Remy / Unsplash
Society of Independent Brewers (SIBA) chief executive, James Calder, added that the U-turn in click and collect for alcohol ‘directly discriminates against small businesses’.
He said: “For the first time in lockdown, the Government intends to ban takeaway alcohol sales, which have been a lifeline to these small businesses.
“Sales through takeaway, click and collect and drive-through have enabled many to just about survive up to now.
“This reversal in policy directly discriminates against small businesses while allowing supermarkets to continue to sell beer from global breweries.”
Bosses at Next have announced it is to close 11 stores by the end of the year in the latest blow to the high street.
The retail giant said of the 11 stores set to close: six are not expected to hit their targets, two are down to their locations not being developed, and three are due to agreements not being reached with their current landlords.
However, the names and locations of the 11 stores have not yet been released. The news comes after the company closed its huge store inside Westfield Stratford City, in London.
Next plc
In a statement, Next Trading said: “We expect to close 11 mainline stores this year.
“Six closures are in locations where we forecast that the store would not achieve our target margin on almost any terms; two closures are due to the site being redeveloped; three further closures are as a result of being unable to agree acceptable new terms with landlords.
“This last category includes one large store where the length of the lease proposed by the landlord, on a high fixed rent charge, was not something we could agree to.”
Next plc
Since the start of the year, a number of high street chains have announced closures across the UK, including New Look, Boots, Asda Living, Wilko and Iceland.
Some of the closures have been down to a decrease in sales, as more and more households rein in their spending during the cost-of-living crisis. Others were simply down to business decisions.
Boots revealed this year that it plans to shut 300 of its stores while Sainsbury’s, the owner of Lloyds Pharmacy, shared that it will shut its pharmacy sites located within its supermarkets.
Robert Wade (Wadey) / Flickr
Homeware brand Habitat announced it will be closing its last three remaining stand-alone sites while its owner, Sainsbury’s, confirmed its customers were increasingly making purchases online rather than in-store.
Elsewhere, frozen foods supermarket Iceland has closed 11 of its sites though it has not made any announcements to confirm the closures.
The remaining 120 Wilko store closures and dates are yet to be announced.
Meanwhile, its rival stores B&M and Poundland have taken on a number of Wilko’s site to rebrand as their own. B&M has snapped up 51 sites and Poundland 71. The deals have not automatically saved Wilko staff working at these sites from job losses, though Poundland has said it will prioritise Wilko staff for job interviews.
Another competitor, The Range has also stepped in and bought the Wilko brand, website and intellectual property. This means it can now sell Wilko products within its stores but does not include any of its physical sites.
But punters don’t need to panic just yet, as the pubs won’t close until they have been sold.
Despite the closures Spoons has also opened branches, including The Square Peg in Birmingham and The Lord Palmerston in Southsea – after undergoing major refurbishments. The chain is also redeveloping pubs in Wakefield, central Cardiff and Glasgow, to the tune of around £8 million.
Wetherspoons currently boasts around 822 branches across the UK and recently announced its busiest-ever Saturday was during the Easter Bank Holiday weekend.
Cl1kr / Flickr
The 11 Wetherspoons pubs now up for sale:
The Pontlottyn, Abertillery
The Ivor Davies, Cardiff
Spa Lane Vaults, Chesterfield
The Gate House, Doncaster
The Market Cross, Holywell
The Regent, Kirkby in Ashfield
The Mockbeggar Hall, Moreton
The Hain Line, St Ives
The Sir Norman Rae, Shipley
The Sir Daniel Arms, Swindon
The White Hart, Todmorden
These are just the Wetherspoon locations recently announced to be closing by the chain, but there are dozens more that have already closed this year.
JD Wetherspoon
The list of Wetherspoon locations that have closed are:
Greater Manchester Police have issued an update on Ronald Webster, 81, who went missing from Oldham last Thursday.
The news comes after Ronald’s grandchildren made an appeal to the public asking for help to find their beloved grandad and to ‘keep him safe’ until they, or the police can get there.
It was believed the last sightings of the grandfather-of-five were at 10.52 am on Walkers Road, in Limeside, Oldham and again at 3.45pm as he got off the 184 at Huddersfield Bus Station, on September 14th.
Family submit / ITV
However, police have confirmed a new sighting of the pensioner, known by loved ones as ‘Ronnie’, just minutes later at 3.53pm, as he entered Huddersfield Train Station.
It is believed he may have links to the Bridlington, Whitby and Scarborough areas, although officers have said they are ‘not ruling out that he may have travelled elsewhere’.
Ronald’s family shared that he had recently undergone a triple heart bypass and had medication for his heart and for epilepsy, but that he had not taken any of his medicine with him when he went missing.
His grandchildren said that this is the first time he has not come home.
#MISSING | An update on Ronald. He was last seen at 15:53pm on 14/09/23 entering Huddersfield Train Station
He is 81, around 4'11, of small build and has grey hair around the back and sides, bald on top. He has a few gaps in his teeth
At the time of his disappearance, Ronald was wearing a blue and black coat with grey trousers.
He is described as 4’11 ins with grey hair around the sides, bald on top, and uses a walking stick.
In an update, a spokesperson for GMP said: “Since Ronald was reported missing, officers have been working closely with his loved ones to understand where he might have travelled to.
Greater Manchester Police
“It is believed he may have links to Bridlington, Whitby and Scarborough, although officers are not ruling out that he may have travelled elsewhere.
“Whilst officers are continuing to review CCTV from locations of significance, they are also working with colleagues from other forces to ensure everyone is on the lookout for Ronald so we can help him return to his family safe and well.”
Anyone with information about Ronald’s whereabouts should call 101 quoting 1013 of 16/09/2023.