“Wet Led” pubs, those not serving food impacted by Covid restrictions are to be given tens of millions of pounds in extra financial support in the form of grants according to reports.
The support will be available in all Tier Two and Three areas, which cover 99 per cent of the population.
When the tier system was announced the British Beer & Pub Association revealed that the system will cost wet-let pubs £47,000 EACH for the month of December alone.
According to the trade association, if all wet-led pubs in the UK were to be subject to the restrictions in tiers two and three this would cost the sector £1.5 billion, or £47,000 for EACH wet-led pub in the UK. £680 million of this would be from lost beer sales alone, the equivalent of 180 million pints, meaning the restrictions will also hugely damage Britain’s world class brewers.
However according to newspaper reports pubs that do not serve food will be eligible for grants to help them survive the winter.
The support will be available in all tier two and three areas, which cover 99% of the population. The Daily Mail stated: “But there will be no additional help for restaurants or pubs that serve meals, despite the fresh restrictions on their trade. The move is designed to curb a Tory backlash over the impact of covid curbs on a hospitality sector that has already endured two national lockdowns. The idea was floated by Downing Street with rebel MPs over the weekend, leaving the Treasury blindsided yesterday by reports that Rishi Sunak was poised to open the chequebook again.
The Prime Minister hinted at the additional help last night while touring a vaccine production facility in Wales. He said: “I particularly understand the frustration of the hospitality sector which has borne so much and been through so much in the last few months. ‘We will do everything we can to protect and encourage that sector through the weeks and months ahead.”
