Press Release
Make or break moment for pubs as we know them: CAMRA NI
Responding to the announcement that pubs across Northern Ireland will be forced to close except for takeaway and delivery services from Friday, Chair of CAMRA NI Ruth Sloan said:
“The announced four–week closure is absolutely devastating news and a make or break moment for our local pubs and breweries.
“Publicans trying to recover from the first lockdown have been operating at reduced turnovers and have invested thousands of pounds of their dwindling reserves to make their premises COVID-secure. They now face four weeks with no – or next to no – turnover whatsoever. Understandably, many feel that pubs have become the scapegoat for this pandemic.
“The Executive urgently needs to bring forward a comprehensive financial support package to cover this period – and the weeks and months following it. The couple of hundred pounds a week that pubs in the Derry City and Strabane Council area have received during local restrictions just won’t cut it.
“Without proper compensation, we risk seeing pubs and breweries closing for good before Christmas.”
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