Pubs and restaurants call for April re-opening as vaccine programme expands

Pub and restaurant groups have called on the government to low them to re-open in April alongside non-essential shops in order to save the UK hospitality industry.

Tim Martin, executive and chairman of PLC () said the pub industry was on its knees and needs to reopen to save thousands of jobs.

“Many people have correctly pointed out that the three lockdowns of the last year have been a disaster for the hospitality, retail, arts and entertainment industries, but our calculations show that they have been an even bigger disaster for public finances,” he wrote in an open letter to the government.

“Surely it is possible for the hospitality industry to reopen at the same time as non-essential shops, now that a vaccine exists, on the basis of the social distancing and hygiene regulations, 

“Unless the industry does reopen on that basis, economic mayhem will inevitably follow.”

Similar concerns were echoed by the boss of another listed pub group.

Young & Co’s chief Patrick Dardis accused the government of a “lack of respect” for the sector and the science behind the decision to close the pubs was “unproven”.

We are shocked and appalled that the government is basing its decisions to keep the great British pub closed on unproven and unfounded statistics.”

Dardis said that he and several other leading pub group chief executives were leaving a small business forum because of the government’s attitude.

Delivery service giant , meanwhile, said the government should reinstate the Eat Out to Help Out Scheme to kick start a recovery by the hospitality industry.

“Continued government support was “critical” to protect jobs,” the takeaway business said.

“The withdrawal of support too early or too suddenly risks viable businesses failing just as the light at the end of the tunnel is becoming clearer.”

said Help Out to Eat Out helped many restaurants survive in 2020 and should be reintroduced “when it is safe to do so”.

Through the scheme, restaurants and pubs serving food received refunds from the government up to £10 for food and soft drinks from Mondays to Wednesdays.

The scheme was used 100 mln times in August, Deliveroo said and not only helped protect restaurants from closure but that they were safe.

Hopes the government might allow for some form of staggered reopening from Aprll have grown recently as the vaccinations programme has rolled.

Over the weekend, the target of 15mln first vaccinations of the most vulnerable groups was reached and the programme is now being extended more widely.

Another vaccine from Moderna, in addition to the /BioNTrech and /Oxford options already being administered, is also expected to become available in late spring.

Today, listed pub group PLC () said it was raising an additional £500mln to help shore up its finances in the face of the latest lockdown.

Of that, £350mln is going to come from shareholders including its three main backers.

In January, the All Bar One owner said that its monthly cash burn was £35-40mln plus around £50mln of debt payments.