Pub bosses pull out of talks with business minister

15-Feb-2021 - Last updated on 15-Feb-2021 at 14:22 GMT

Related tags Pubs Young's Patrick Dardis Coronavirus

The bosses of some of the UK’s largest pub groups are withdrawing from discussions with Government on reopening citing “a lack of interest and respect”.

In a letter to business minister Paul Scully, Young’s CEO Patrick Dardis said that Westminster was “playing politics under the guise of consulting” and that pub sector business leaders were “shocked and appalled that the Government is basing its decisions to keep the great British pub closed on unfounded and unproven statistics.”

“As the vaccination program continues to gain incredible momentum and protects those most at risk, the Government’s message to the pub sector remains despairingly bleak,” the letter reads.

“We have been given no indication whatsoever that pubs will be allowed to reopen, nor any guidance about what restrictions may be in place when they can.”

Scully argues that the sector has supplied the Government with evidence that it is part of the solution and understands the need to follow Covid-19 protocols.

The letter calls for the roadmap for pubs to be as it was in July “nothing more, nothing less”, and that the sector expects restrictions to be reduced to zero over a “a few short months”.

“There is no reason why pubs cannot open in April, giving people back their liberty and their much loved pub,” the letter continues.

Meanwhile, JD Wetherspoon chairman Tim Martin has called on the Government to reopen pubs at the same time as nonessential retail shops and more than 160 CEOs from across the hospitality sector have signed a letter to the Chancellor pleading for further support from the upcoming Budget.