Welsh hospitality sector says new 6pm closure restrictions will be devastating

The hospitality sector says the Welsh Government's new Covid restrictions closing pubs, restaurants and cafes from 6pm with effect from this Friday with no serving of alcohol will have a devastating impact.

The new measures, announced by First Minister Mark Drakeford, include:

Pubs, bars, restaurants and cafes will have close by 6pm and will not be allowed to serve alcohol.
They can provide takeaway services only after this time.
From that date indoor entertainment venues like cinemas, bowling alleys soft play centres, skating rinks, amusement arcades and bingo halls must close.
Museums, galleries and other heritage sites will also have to close but outdoor visitor attractions can stay open.
No changes to extended households and gyms and leisure centres can stay open.

They will make a further announcement on travel restrictions later this week ahead of England's lockdown ending on December 2.

The Welsh Government said it is making further £340m available through its Economic Resilience Fund to support businesses affected by the new changes to the regulations. It will include a specific fund to support hospitality and tourism businesses.

The Wales Independent Restaurant Collective (WIRC), which has more than 300 supporters, said: "The severe limitations on trading just announced by the First Minister therefore come as a major blow to the businesses who have worked incredibly hard to make hospitality safe, and who have invested what funds they have left in this.

"These new measures are hard to take given the struggle to survive over the past nine months, and the constantly changing restrictions.

"With the latest announcements, our businesses will have been forced to close for longer this year than we have been allowed to trade. Hospitality has borne the brunt of restrictions not just in Wales but across the ��Ƶ and the world and yet with the right measures in place we have proved it can be a safe place for people to meet and socialise during the pandemic."

Cerys Furlong owner of The Lansdowne and The Grange pubs and Milkwood restaurant in Cardiff said “ Not being able to serve alcohol and early closing means that trading will be a long way from viable for the majority of the sector, particularly in this Christmas period, which is crucial to the success or otherwise of most businesses in��hospitality. However, we welcome the support funding from Welsh Government which we understand is intended to reflect more closely the scale of the challenges we face”

Simon Wright from Wright’s Food Emporium in Carmarthen said: “WIRC have consistently made the point that��hospitality��businesses are a crucial part of the foundation economic, a significant part of the life of many of our communities and employ thousands of people in Wales.

"We know that if we can survive through this crisis, with Welsh Government support, we can continue to play that role. So we look forward to finding a way to be able to be open as soon as the health situation allows and so we can fully need to be contribute again to life in Wales.”

CAMRA national chairman Nik Antona said: “Restrictions that��force��hundreds of��pubs to close��and��devastate trade for those��able to��remain open to serve��meals could��be the final��straw��for��Welsh pubs��and the breweries that supply��them.��

"There is simply��no evidence that a��draconian alcohol ban will stop the spread of COVID-19.��What is clear is that our pub culture is being used as a convenient scapegoat��for the spread of��the pandemic.��

“This is a huge blow for��businesses��in the beer, cider and pubs sector��that have invested thousands to make their venues Covid-secure and are now being hit at what would normally be their busiest time of the year.��

“The Welsh Government must publish the evidence that serving alcohol has been a factor in spreading the virus to justify these devastating restrictions��and offer adequate financial support for the affected businesses.��Otherwise,��we risk losing Welsh pubs forever.”��

Francis, FSB Wales policy chair, said:�� "There is no getting away from the fact that today’s announcement will come as a devastating blow to those indoor entertainment and hospitality firms that have fought tooth and nail to protect jobs, remain viable and provide a safe environment for their staff and customers this year. For many, having a successful run-in to Christmas would have been vital to keeping the business going through the winter.

“The support package announced by the First Minister will be very welcome. It is important to remember that there are going to be supply chain businesses that will feel the serious impacts of these new measures and it is vital that they are able to benefit from financial support.��

“It will be incredibly important that this funding can be rolled out as a matter of urgency – businesses will now be in a position that means that they are entirely reliant on this financial support in order to weather the winter. Funding must be accessible, readily available and paid in the quickest possible time so that it can get into the hands of those where it will make a real difference."

Director of CBI Wales, Ian Price, said:“The First Minister’s announcement is devastating for a Welsh hospitality sector that’s already reeling from a damaging cycle of restrictions. Pubs, restaurants and shops that should be buzzing at this time of year now face a hugely uncertain future, with closures and job losses all but guaranteed.

“For those firms that have struggled on, the loss of the all-important festive trading period could very well be the last straw. Cash reserves have already been depleted, orders paid for and stock built-up in anticipation of a much-needed festive boost. The respite that many hoped for will not now materialise.

“Throughout the pandemic, firms have asked for clear, timely and evidence-based communication around restrictions to help them plan. They want to understand the key data points influencing decisions and to be confident that the severe measures put in place will deliver the desired result.��

“For the Welsh hospitality sector to weather the storm, additional business support is absolutely critical. Resources must be made available to firms immediately, with clear information and a designated point of contact created to help them access it. Anything less and it will be last orders for the community pubs, restaurants and cafes that we all value so highly.

Ben Francis, FSB Wales policy chair, said: “There is no getting away from the fact that today’s announcement will come as a devastating blow to those indoor entertainment and hospitality firms that have fought tooth and nail to protect jobs, remain viable and provide a safe environment for their staff and customers this year. For many, having a successful run-in to Christmas would have been vital to keeping the business going through the winter.

Plaid Cymru Shadow Minister for the Economy Helen Mary Jones MS said: “Plaid Cymru called for targeted payments to Welsh businesses worst affected by the crisis for many weeks now. This package is welcome, as it targets support where it is most needed during the period of these restrictions.

“This money must be given to businesses as soon as possible – especially important for smaller businesses who will otherwise have problems with cash flow. Local authorities should also be given enough support to process and deliver payments quickly, and funded to take on more staff if they need to. A public information campaign is also crucial to ensure people are not drawn to socialising at home instead.

“This is going to be incredibly challenging for the hospitality sector and it is deeply regretful that we’ve found ourselves in this position. Plaid Cymru called for stricter measures as we came out of the fire break – including a more gradual easing of restrictions and optimising Wales’s own testing capacity to reach the 24-hour turnaround timescale target. The Labour Welsh Government failed to do that and now hospitality is paying the price.

Neil McEvoy MS, the leader of the WNP, said: "Drakeford’s coronavirus policies have clearly failed. He’s making it up as he goes along and increasingly sounding like a tin-pot dictator. Who is he to stop people having a pint with their food?

"Rather than chopping and changing every few weeks we need consistent and simple rules that the public understands and trusts.

"Other countries are starting to get back to normal and have moved on. These new measures are catastrophic for Welsh businesses. Drakeford does not seem to understand that poverty kills. The rest of us are paying the price for his failure."