Anger from pub bosses as Peterborough is placed in Tier 2

The tiering means pubs which serve “substantial meals” can open, subject to restrictions, but those that don’t must stay closed when lockdown ends on December 2

Darren Peachey, whose Venture Pub Company leases a number of pubs across the city - which concentrate on serving drinks rather than food - said it was the worst outcome.

“Tier 2 is the worst tier for wet led businesses. It is simply ‘no-mans land’, said Darren, whose portfolio includes city pubs The Limetree, The Cross Keys and The Dragon.

“Peterborough is very unlikely to move into tier 1 before Christmas, and even if it does we then have to gear up to open when the government have historically not given the hospitality sector the recommended time to facilitate this and it will be the same this time.

“This has been the most difficult time for our industry and especially for wet led pubs. The main issue here is the huge disparities between which sectors can and cannot open. With little evidence the government have decided to close pubs because they seem to believe that the actions of the public after they have had a drink is worse than the actions of the public in any other “allowed” situation.

“The Public Health England statistics were recently published it was shown that an average of 1.6% of transmission of the virus emanated from pubs. This compared to 18.3% at the supermarket. I am not arguing that supermarkets should be shut, my argument is that the majority of pubs are far more covid secure than any supermarket is. When you come to the pub you must sit in your seat, order your drink and wait for it to be brought to your table, and you must wear a mask whenever you move around the premises. My landlords and landladies have worked 200% harder than they ever have making sure that their pubs are as secure as can possibly be. When retail opens for Christmas shopping, take note of the lack of social distancing and also the cross contamination throughout the retail stores and supermarkets. This is a deemed a fair compromise by the government!

“I’m afraid that our government has made huge a mistake closing the large majority of pubs in the UK. Yes there are some people that flout the rules we set out in the pubs and yes people do let their hair down after having a drink and possibly do something that is not allowed, but this has all been taken into account within the report from Public Health England when arriving at their transmission rates for pubs. It should be noted that only a very small minority of pubs have ignored the rules. Other retail businesses have put much less effort in trying to keep people safe than the pubs have throughout this entire ordeal.

“Also there was no word on extending the business rates reduction after April 2021 but the government increased the national minimum wage. This is completely illogical considering a large proportion of workers on minimum wage are in the hospitality sector. I feel that the government is completely out of touch with our sector or it has conceded that a sizeable percentage of the industry must fail.

“I congratulated the government at the first lockdown but I now criticise them for their inability to form a fair and inclusive platform for the hospitality sector to stand on.”

Andy Simmonds, an independent who runs The Ploughman in Werrington, was in agreement, adding: “Once again Boris and the government has got it wrong with tackling this virus.

“His failure to address the spread in schools, colleges and universities whist blaming the innocent hard working hospitality industry will be the end for many small, independent wet led pubs and could possibly include my own.”

Andy, who continues to sell takeaway beers during lockdown, added: “RIP the British Pub!”

Read how city restaurants are peparing for reopening on December 2 HERE