'We can't keep ploughing money in': North Derbyshire pub and hotel owners warn of 'detrimental' Tier 3 impact

Ministers are still yet to announce which areas are placed in each tier in ‘new, strengthened’ system, but business owners who run pubs and hotels in North Derbyshire have warned their could be a ‘detrimental impact’ on the hospitality industry under Tier Three measures.

Ben Stephenson who owns Brimming with Beer in Brimington, has labelled the new, harsher restrictions “a kick in the teeth” for businesses which are struggling to survive.

While managing director of Van Dyk hotel in Clowne, Marc Wildes, said business owners can only "keep ploughing money in for so long” under restrictions which forces them to close.

If North Derbyshire is placed under Tier Two then pubs and restaurants will be allowed to reopen if they provide a ‘substantial meal’, meaning establishments which don’t sell food are prohibited from opening.

Under the harshest level of restrictions in Tier Three, all hospitality businesses in the area would only be able to provide takeaway, click and collect or delivery services.

Chesterfield was previously under Tier Two level Covid-19 restrictions in the original regional lockdown system, which prevented different households from mixing indoors, but enabled pubs, restaurants and bars to serve alcohol and stay open until 10pm.

Ben, who adapted his one-room pub which cannot provide food, into a takeaway beer business when a second national lockdown was enforced in November, is having to sell his stock at a ‘very reduced’ rate to make ends meet.

"It feels like we are being thrown under the bus a bit, since we've opened again and they changed us into Tier Two and it became separate households and everyone had to be sat separately, I rebuilt all my furniture and everything”, said Ben.

"I don't see how that is not allowed yet you can go to the supermarkets and stuff and you don't even have to check in there.

"Whereas at my pub, everyone was using track and trace, sanitiser all over the place, regular cleaning.

"It's a bit of a kick in the teeth now, it's almost like they have introduced a new tier and got rid of Tier One, they've just shuffled them all down.”

The Chesterfield business owner, who is running the pub by himself while his staff are furloughed, expressed his concern for others in the hospitality industry who haven’t been able to adapt their organisations to comply with the new rules.

Ben added: "There's a lot of people that aren't as fortunate as me, who have not got the ability to sell beer as an off license and I just don't know how they will survive and come out of it.”

Managing director of Wildes Group, which runs the Van Dyk hotel, Wildes Education training facility in Chesterfield and Ombre salon in Crystal Peaks, Marc Wildes expressed his concern about the new restrictions after he recruited 16 new hotel staff to start in time for Christmas.

The businessman who employs over 80 people at Van Dyk said the situation is ‘petrifying’ for people in the hospitality industry.

"I think it is just the uncertainty that we are having to pay out thousands and thousands of pounds and not know what tier we are going to go into, it is petrifying", Marc added.

"We don't know what the rules are, we do know we've just taken over £110,000 in deposits which is just for the month of December from parties, Christmas bookings, Christmas lunches and Christmas day.

"We may have to send all that money back to every single guest so it is going to have a detrimental effect on the business.”

He queried how grassroots, contact sports such as football and rugby can be played under the harshest level restrictions, but covid-secure establishments can only operate as a takeaway.

Marc said: "We have employed four public area cleaners that just go around constantly cleaning door handles, doors, anything that anyone could possibly touch.

"These people are going to lose their jobs as well.

“I think a lot of pubs and hospitality businesses will be gone by spring, you can only keep ploughing money in for so long.”

Chesterfield and Staveley MP Toby Perkins warned that the new restrictions would be a disaster pubs and bars in the town.

He said: “The restrictions announced are brutal and potentially fatal for many of Britain's boozers and the wider hospitality sector.

"I welcome the changing of the curfew from 10pm to 11pm but this doesn’t restore key trading time for pubs around the country and whilst ever pubs can only accept customers who want a substantial meal this is a closure in all but name for many pubs.

“The announcement is a disaster for the very many Chesterfield pubs and bars that do not serve food who will find themselves unviable under the revised Tier 2 and Tier 3 restrictions.

"It feels like the Government are doing little to tackle the real causes of spread of infection, and instead putting blame onto pubs & hospitality - despite little evidence that these places are a major cause for spreading the virus.

"Local venues have spent hundreds making their venues Covid-safe and I am not aware of any major outbreak linked to a local pub or bar.

“Christmas and New Year is the most profitable time of the year for pubs and hospitality and if the Government go ahead with these restrictions, then they need to provide a massive financial package to ensure the sector survives.

“The vaccine offers hope that if pubs can survive this winter, a brighter spring might emerge, but a draconian approach to pubs that isn’t met by a requisite package of support could be the death knell for our boozers.”

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In these confusing and worrying times, local journalism is more vital than ever. Thanks to everyone who helps us ask the questions that matter by taking out a subscription or buying a paper. We stand together. Nancy Fielder, editor.