I heard the same, long before COVID.
It does seem strange that, having such a big outdoor space, they decided not to reopen in May and at least get a few months worth of trading in before their lease is up. They are part of the Common & Co chain so any leftover stock could be transferred to one of their other bars. They already have an app with all their bars listed and the ability to order through it, so I think it would have taken minimal investment to reopen in a COVID-secure fashion. Perhaps it's easier just to keep the staff on furlough?
Not just easier but more cost-effective, I would guess. Pubs that are going to reopen have to make a decision about whether to open outdoors in April (cost of re-hiring or de-furloughing staff, doubts about space and weather) or indoors in May (restrictions limiting capacity, extra staff costs for table service) with half an eye on their competition stealing a march on them. If you've already decided not to renew the lease, these decisions become a bit of a no-brainer, in my opinion.
Come On You Hatters!
http://forums.pubsgalore.co.uk/showt...eon-Smoked-out
Yep, the whinging git's at it again. Boring!!!
A pub is for life not just for Christmas
As usual, there's a reasonable argument hidden somewhere among the evidence-free bluster. I draw the line at "smokers are still more likely to visit pubs than non-smokers, possibly because they are by nature more convivial and less health-obsessed." Smokers are more "convivial"? FFS.
Come On You Hatters!
Interesting to note that a person can't smoke in a pub because of the limited risk to other's health, yet a person can sit in a pub who has yet to be vaccinated or may even refuse to be so. Which poses the greater risk to life?