Hastings Pubs And Bars In Covid-Related Crisis, Survey Says

Even before Tier 3 restrictions were announced, almost 90% of pubs and bars in Hastings and the surrounding areas were trading at a loss — and only about 10% can get through another three months of coronavirus restrictions without facing potentially crippling debts.

That's according to a short survey of pub owners and managers carried out by Hastings BarWatch.

It also found almost 15% of venues in the borough and neighbouring Rother are already in a financial crisis.

With Covid-19 rates in the town rising sharply, and Tier 3 restrictions about to arrive, the impact of the government's restrictions "are being made worse as each day goes by", the umbrella group said.

The survey heard that bars believed customers who were already put off by the need to combine a drink with a meal as well as being banned from meeting anyone outside their household are now also concerned they could be adding to the rise in positive cases locally.

John Bownas, manager of Barwatch, who sent out the survey after being asked by ITV about the impact of the virus on the pubs in the town, said:

"The sector really is a at a crunch point and the government needs to step up and take action now.

"The first round of grants may have been a nice little windfall for some small businesses, but for many pubs they were an absolute lifeline.

"Now the playing field has been changed.

"The assumption seems to be that by saying venues in tier two areas can open for business means they don't need much extra financial support. 

"But, as this survey shows, that is far from the truth.

"This may be only a small snapshot, but my guess is these results will be reflected across the country.

"We will soon start to see the true economic 'long Covid' impact on businesses in this sector as their cash reserves and borrowing arrangements dry up whilst they're still haemorrhaging money on rent, wages, and other unavoidable bills."

"The anonymous survey generated a variety of comments from pub managers and owners, including phrases such as 'people are just confused', and 'compulsory food is putting a lot of people off'."

Hastings BarWatch members said the comments were reflected in the finding that more than 75% had seen a reduction in customers through the door over the past week — at a time when bookings would traditionally have been on the increase from Christmas parties.

One venue also said in their response that they knew of several other pubs considering closing down until well into the New Year, as it makes no economic sense for them to stay open, even if the rules say technically they can.

John Bownas concluded:

"The very real fear we have is that these doors will stay closed even after restrictions are lifted.

"And right now the Government isn't giving us any clue as to when that might happen or even what the trigger might be for them to make the decision.

"It feels like a horror film where we are driving on a Motorway in the fog and don't know which exit we are supposed to take to get back to normality."