PUBS and restaurants in Oxfordshire will be hit ‘very hard’ by the latest Government guidance on coronavirus, a business leader has warned.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson urged the public on Monday not to go out to pubs, clubs, theatres and social venues.
However the Government stopped short of ordering establishments to close, which will make it difficult for them to claim with their insurers.
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Many pubs, like the Castle in Oxford, above, have tried to reassure regulars by implementing strict new hygiene rules.
Keith Slater, of Oxfordshire Town Chambers Network, said: "This is going to hit pubs and restaurants very hard indeed.
"The Prime Minister needs to think about a mechanism for allowing pubs and restaurants to claim on their insurance.
"Once we get through this we want those pubs and restaurants to still be there."
Many more in Britain’s £120bn hospitality industry hit back, saying pubs and bars were now ‘in limbo’ without government support and with no ability to claim insurance.
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Raymond Blanc tweeted: “Our hospitality industry is being sacrificed, battered, with no clear direction from @borisjohnson.
“This puts each of our businesses from the humble bistros right up to the @guidemichelinuk in a dire straight (sic) situation, no man’s land.”
Dave Richardson, publicity officer for the Oxford branch of CAMRA (Campaign for Real Ale), urged Boris Johnson to take action to protect pubs.
He said: “Some pubs in Oxford will almost certainly be closing in the next few days, partly because they feel they could be putting people at risk.
“Boris Johnson has a lot in his in-tray but he should take action to protect pubs, which have an important community function, and that could involve a mechanism for them to be able to claim on insurance.
“The managed pubs, the pubs run by the big companies like Greene King, will be able to handle this better than the free houses or pubs run by tenants.
“I would expect we would have a few closures – hopefully this won’t be used as an excuse by some companies to sell off some pubs."
Some beer and pub companies in Oxfordshire are trying to make the best of a bad situation.
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The Tap Social brewery in Botley is promoting home-delivery beer subscriptions.
On its Facebook page it shared a post from the Society of Independent Brewers, which said: “By giving advice to stay away from pubs in this way rather than closing pubs, it places all the burden of dealing with coronavirus on the UK’s pubs, brewers and supply chain.
“This is an ill thought through halfway house that allows the Government and UK insurers off the hook.”
Meanwhile the Big Society pub on Cowley Road and Dodo Pub Company, which runs the Rusty Bicycle pub in East Oxford and the Rickety Press in Jericho, have posted Facebook messages saying staff will be washing their hands every 15 minutes.
The Unite union estimates that up to a third of the UK’s 3.2 million hospitality jobs are under threat as people stay home during the pandemic.
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