SIBA responds to Prime Minister’s confirmation on moving to step 4 of the Roadmap in England
Responding to the Prime Minister’s confirmation on moving to step 4 of the Roadmap in England, Chief Executive of the Society of Independent Brewers (SIBA) James Calder said:
“Today the Prime Minister has finally given brewers and pubs the green light to lift the remaining hospitality restrictions on July 19th. Our sector should be hailed for having complied with every instruction, every piece of guidance and every rule, despite how maddening and damaging many of them often were. This is because in the majority, they have helped to get us to where we are as a country.
“Yet since last week’s announcement, muddled messaging and rowing back by Government threatens to undermine confidence in the reopening and long-term recovery of our sector. We now need a message of confidence and reassurance as we did in Summer 2020 around Eat Out to Help Out – because as we proved, hospitality is safe. As recent events have shown, pubs are vital to the health, wellbeing, and happiness of the nation.
“With this announcement we now begin the long road to recovery for our sector and for the country. Over the past 16 months, small brewers have lost 80% of their on-sales and built-up debts averaging £30,000 which now must be repaid. Finally lifting the restrictions will give them the opportunity to begin to rebuild their business but only if the public have the confidence to return.”
