Fears small pubs could close due to lack of government help

In a bid to boost business, the UK Government has cut VAT on food served by eateries– but smaller pubs which do not serve food will not see any benefit.

And to make matters worse, for many pubs it may not be worthwhile reopening with social distancing making it impossible to have more than a handful of people in a room at any one time.

Morag Douglas, FLTA board member and proprietor of The Star on Burntisland High Street, says some small pubs may not reopen after lockdown.

Morag and her staff have been shopping for the over-70s since the start of lockdown, coming to the aid of those in need in the community.

However, when it comes time to reopen, the pub, like many others, theycould find times difficult.

She said that keeping her customers safe is a priority, but she fears that many bar owners were faced with the choice of either opening and running at a loss, staying closed and getting further in debt, or opening and running unsafely to try to make a living.

She said: “We’re looking at the small pubs that don’t sell food.

“The VAT reduction is absolutely no help to us whatever, and we’ve been ignored a little bit.

“We’re still paying 20 per cent VAT on everything. There are small pubs that will struggle to open and get any customers in.

“We have a little space out the back which is fine if the weather’s nice, but that’s really not going to be much help during the winter.

“I’m hearing about some pubs that just aren’t going to open.

“I think we need more government support, maybe further grants based on rateable value, which is fair as pubs’ rateable value is based on their turnover.

“Personally, if I open and do one-metre distancing I think at a push I can get maybe eight people in my pub, which is not really viable going forward.

“We understand that we have to be safe but we’re faced with not opening, opening and running at a loss, or as some places are doing just opening and saying ‘to hell with it’ – which could be potentially dangerous.

“I think it’s going to be really really difficult because we have to stay safe. I have a duty of care to my customers. I do have an older clientele and I do have to make sure I’m looking after them.

“I think we will lose come pubs in our communities. We definitely need some help that takes into account the fact that we just can’t open as we don’t have the space that bigger places have.

Morag said that it could be tough for smaller pubs as they look to get up and running again.

“We’re going to open but I don’t expect we’re going to make any money.

“But I feel obliged to do so because other pubs have and my customers are asking me.

“I’m going to have to work most of the hours myself so I’m not going to be able to take staff off furlough to any great degree.

“We’re going to have very reduced hours as well to service our regulars who I don’t want to let down.

“When it comes to pay the VAT that’s been deferred, I don’t know where we’re going to get the money for that.

“Most of the pubs in Burntisland are small independent pubs, we’re all going to struggle.”

The Star is planning to reopen today (July 23).