A PUBLICAN has said the industry is being ‘sold down the river’ and fears he could go under if people continue to be told by the government not to go into pubs.
Mark Daniels, who runs the Brewers Arms, in St John’s, Worcester, said he is angry the Prime Minister made the statement but has not shut them officially, to give the pub industry a chance to survive by claiming on the insurance.
On Monday, in the first of the government’s new daily briefings, Boris Johnson issued new guidance telling people to avoid pubs as part of the attempt to tackle coronavirus spreading.
But Mark Daniels, who runs the pub with wife Debbie, said the policy was “confusing”, and was already starting to have a massive impact on his business.
Mr Daniels said: “How can an 18-year-old not go into a pub, but can walk into college with hundreds there?
“We are a successfully run pub, we have been here 12 years, I fear for others more than us. We are still getting the regulars in, but there is uncertainty.
“Not many people and businesses in this city could last three months without any income.
“I would prefer them to just close us. That would give us a chance to claim on insurance.
“At the moment I’m paying rent, paying Sky and there is no sport on, and I’ve got bills to pay, a mortgage to pay.
“The government has to help small businesses, because we are all going to be affected by this.
“If it stays like this, I fear we will go under.”
Angela Freeman, who runs the Bell Inn in St John’s, said it would continue to open until the government told them to close.
“We have increased hygiene here, we are disinfecting everything, doing everything we can to protect ourselves and our customers.
“We have got to do what we can to get through this.
“It hasn’t hit us yet. Our daytime trade has over 70s (the age group that is set be told to stay at home). A few have told me they are considering (the virus) now.
“At the moment we are still open, we are taking precautions.”
Colin Robinson, the landlord of Chestnut Tree, said: “We will keep opening until we are told to close. If they told us we have to close, we can claim insurance.
“Turnover is down, in the last three weeks it has reduced by a third.
“It is a worrying time, but you have to carry on. It a very serious situation, but we are still going, and keep people happy.”
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