A BAR owner has spoken of the ‘heartbreaking’ death of a customer and the devastating impact of the Covid lockdown, in the most difficult year her business has ever faced.

Sian Patterson is the owner of Heroes in Friar Street, Worcester, which has been forced to close twice due to the pandemic.

In January, 27-year-old James Acheson-Hill died after he fell down the entrance steps at Heroes.

An ambulance was called just after 10pm on January 18 following the accident but the father-of-one died in hospital the next day.

His parents paid tribute to their son at the time, describing him as a ‘devoted father and a much-loved brother and son’.

Sian has worked at Heroes for 20 years and became co-owner of the alternative bar five-and-a-half years ago.

Sian said Mr Acheson-Hill’s death was ‘heartbreaking’.

“It was, by a country mile, the worst thing that has ever happened at Heroes,” said Sian. “But, however awful it was for us, it was of course much worse for the family, and although it was extremely upsetting, it doesn’t compare to how they must’ve felt.

“I love Heroes and it was heartbreaking that it happened in my favourite place; I think for anyone who works in this industry it’s the worst thing that could ever happen.”

Sian arranged for a counsellor to visit her staff following the devastating incident.

She said: “The aftermath was mainly internal, impacting the door staff who attended the scene and myself who attended, but we also had to go through the incident over and over and review CCTV several times with police, regulatory services and other agencies. It was quite a traumatic time for all involved.

“With the shock of what happened, it was a bit of a blur for me really, but obviously our experience doesn’t compare to that of his family and friends.”

It’s been a challenging year for Heroes which, like every hospitality venue in the UK, has been forced to close for the second time due to the pandemic.

“Everyone’s in the same storm now with the pandemic and you just have to get on with it,” said Sian.

“We’ve definitely found it difficult during the pandemic, being closed for over three months, and again now, hasn’t been easy.

"Operating with huge restrictions when we are open has also impacted hugely on our business.

“We managed to get one of the 'bounce back' loans and furloughed all of the staff this month, so assuming we can trade through December we should be fine.

“It comes down to people feeling comfortable to come back out, and obviously support from our customers is extremely valuable.

“We of course want them to keep them coming in and we’re doing our best to make everyone feel safe and comfortable when they come through the doors.” When the bar re-opened in July, Sian implemented strict safety measures for customers.

“We have a sign asking people to wait at the door which allows us then to come downstairs to let people in, and we also have the same sign at the bar.

“Since we re-opened we have only done table service.”

Heroes has also been operating a home delivery service during the pandemic.

Sian said: “The delivery service has translated well to also become our home delivery ordering system. For the most part, we’re just getting on with it as best we can, and hoping for a positive outcome.”