Make or break moment for British pubs despite support from Chancellor – CAMRA

Responding to the Chancellor’s announced Jobs Support Scheme and cash grants for businesses forced to close, CAMRA’s Chief Executive Tom Stainer said:

“This is a welcome and necessary recognition from the Government that when pubs are forced to close publicans need help with wage bills and other costs if they are to have a chance of surviving.

“But we must face facts that this announcement isn’t going to be enough, on its own, to save our pubs from extinction.

“Pubs feel that they have become the scapegoat for the pandemic. We face the permanent closure of pubs and brewers at the hands of restrictions on trade imposed by governments which are damaging consumer confidence in pubs who have already invested their dwindling reserves to make their premises COVID-secure.

“That’s why we desperately need a proper sector support package that also provides support for brewers, extends the business rates holiday for another year, and takes action to address the rent crisis that will be exacerbated by further closure periods.

“Those pubs that have already been forced to close in parts of Scotland and Northern Ireland look set to be joined by pubs in large part of England in the next few days. These pubs simply can’t wait until November for this new Jobs Support Scheme to kick in.

“This is a make or break moment for British beer and pubs as we know them. Without swift financial support to help them mitigate the impact of the reduced trade, we risk seeing thousands of pubs, clubs and breweries closing for good by Christmas.”