BBPA responds to tier three measures set to be placed on Nottinghamshire and calls for support to be available to all pubs, brewers and suppliers to protect 13,500 jobs
The British Beer & Pub Association, the leading trade association representing brewers and pubs, has today responded to the news that tier three lockdown measures will be placed on Nottinghamshire, severely impacting 823 pubs and putting at risk 13,500 sector jobs worth £268 million to the local economy.
As part of the tier three restrictions in the county, off-license sales of alcohol will also be banned after 9pm.
Emma McClarkin, Chief Executive of the British Beer & Pub Association, said:
“This is a very worrying time for pubs, brewers and their wider supply chain in Nottinghamshire.
“548 pubs who don’t serve substantial meals will be forced to close. 275 food led pubs will be able to remain open if they choose, but their trade will be decimated.
“13,500 livelihoods are dependent on pubs in Nottinghamshire. Government financial support now needs to be delivered to them as quickly as possible to help their cash flow and cover their immediate costs.
“The 9pm curfew on off-license alcohol sales is also greatly concerning. It will severely impact brewers whose ability to sell through retail outlets is vital to their survival whilst so many pubs are closed.
“It is hugely worrying to see this additional alcohol curfew put into place with absolutely no evidence to show how it will fight the spread of the virus. SAGE itself has already called into question the effectiveness of the 10pm curfew on hospitality and this 9pm cut-off for off-license alcohol sales in Nottinghamshire is yet another example of layer upon layer of restriction with no proper evidence for its effectiveness in the first place.
“Grants must also be made available to the brewers supplying pubs and off-licenses, who will lose a big proportion of their business overnight from this.
“We urge the Government to review these restrictions as soon as possible.
“Pubs are the heart of their communities and are safe and regulated environments to both eat and drink in. Beer is quintessentially British and a low alcohol option. Government investment in them now will preserve them for generations to come.”
British Beer & Pub Association
The British Beer & Pub Association is the leading body representing Britain’s brewers and pub companies. The Association is more than a century old and was originally founded as the Brewers’ Society in 1904. Our members account for some 90 per cent of beer brewed in Britain today, and own around 20,000 of the nation’s pubs.
Press release from the BBPA
For further information, please contact:
Nick Lawrie, Digital Communications Manager: nlawrie@beerandpub.com, 07824 359 013