Up to half of pubs across England have remained shut today despite being allowed to reopen, according to the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA), which blamed 'insufficient notice' from government to prepare.
Speaking after enjoying a pint of Marston’s Pedigree to signal the end of England’s 105-day pub shutdown, CAMRA's national chairman Nik Antona said many licensees had done a fantastic job to reopen in the circumstances.
Part of CAMRA's remit is to campaign for traditional pubs and clubs as well as real ales, ciders and perry drinks.
Pubs in England - with the exception of those in Leicester where lockdown remains in place as a result of a cluster of coronavirus cases - have been allowed to reopen from today as restrictions are eased.
After being greeted by Steve and Katy Boulter, who run the Royal Oak in Barton-under-Needwood in Staffordshire, Mr Antona said one-way systems, protective screens and other measures had helped make pubs safe.
He told the Press Association: “I think it’s going to be difficult for pubs.
“They are opening up under uncertain circumstances. They don’t know if they’re going to get their customers back.
“The government have not really been helpful with their guidance, leaving it to the last minute in a lot of cases.
“What you are finding is, some of the pubs haven’t even bothered opening today – they want to see what’s going to happen.
“Across the country I’ve seen figures of up to 50 per cent of pubs actually not opening today."
Urging drinkers to vote with their feet and support local bars and pubs, while maintaining safety through social distancing, Mr Antona added: “It’s important that people come back to the pub – but do it safely."
He said the pub he was in had to put in place a lot of new rules and regulations in order to reopen. Bar staff were wearing protective face visors and serving customers from behind perspex screens.
“What I am asking customers, CAMRA members, drinkers, is: listen to what you are told and respect the staff", he said. “If they ask you to do something, do it straight away.
“Make sure that you don’t mix outside of your social bubbles or outside of the groups you have come with – and respect the lay-out and the way people have set their pubs up.
“The sooner we can get through this, the sooner we can return to normal."
He described the "safe environment" as he sat by a Perspex screen which had been used to separate a large table by the Royal Oak's main bar area.
He urged people to "please come back to the pub and support your local."
He said pubs have had to "bend over backwards to get things done in time" which is why "quite a few pubs haven't opened."
He explained that they just "haven't had an opportunity to do everything they needed to do in time."
Mr Antona said the government "could have done better - they could have given more notice."
He added: "They left it to the very last-minute to help these pubs and the ones that have opened today have done a fantastic job to get there."
