Open letter to MPs in the Liverpool & District branch of the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA).
New national Covid-19 restrictions from 5 November.
With England going into a second national lockdown until early December, the following weeks will be a difficult time for England’s pubs and independent breweries unless there is increased help and support for the hospitality industry. Whilst the extension of the furlough scheme will help some in the industry by keeping people in jobs and supporting them through the period of closure, furlough funding alone cannot keep businesses, already struggling due to current restrictions, afloat. Evidence clearly shows that when pubs are told to close there is a wider effect on pub suppliers. The impact on small breweries, of which we have many in the Liverpool City Region, is huge, with small brewery sales during the first lockdown down 82% on average across the UK. Small breweries and pubs still have rent, business rates, beer duty and VAT payments to cover – if they are unable to trade and have no income, they will find it hard to pay these other commitments.
The restrictions due to come into force on Thursday ban pubs from providing take-away beer, a service which has provided many pubs, and therefore many local breweries, with some form of income over the summer. The notice of this is in Section 4[1] and reads: Hospitality venues like restaurants, bars and pubs must close, but can still provide takeaway and delivery services. However, takeaway of alcohol will not be allowed. If time allows, we ask you to try to get clarification on this part of the regulations and if possible, have them amended so that pubs can continue to provide this service to customers.
In a press release dated 2nd November 2020, CAMRA National Chairman Nik Antona said:
“Offering alcohol for takeaway was a lifeline for many pubs, and particularly breweries, during the first lockdown in England. It is a baffling and damaging decision to remove this option, particularly when other businesses such as supermarkets can continue to sell takeaway alcohol”.
The hospitality sector has asked Government for evidence on how increasing restrictions on pubs, bars and taprooms will help control the virus, however this has not been provided, with the Prime Minister regularly just commenting that it is to "reduce the spread of the virus". Even Public Health England in its weekly national influenza and Covid-19 surveillance reports does not single out pubs and bars as a source of infection. The current report is attached as a footnote[2].
With the bulk of the hospitality sector closed the Government and regional leaders need to provide a full financial package for the entire supply chain covering wages, rent, business rate holidays, and VAT, direct to the UK’s independent breweries and pubs.
Can you confirm that the recent announcement of additional government funding for the Liverpool Region will be utilised in the support and recovery of the hospitality sector and advise how you envisaged this being implemented?
Yours sincerely,
Tony Morgan,
Vice Chair,
On behalf of Liverpool & Districts Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA).
[1] https://www.gov.uk/guidance/new-national-restrictions-from-5-november#businesses-and-venues
[2] https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/930819/Weekly_COVID-19_and_Influenza_Surveillance_Graphs_W44.pdf
