'It will be quite a loss' - Worcester landlords on 10pm curfew

Pubs, bars and restaurants in England were forced to close at 10pm every night from Thursday following an announcement by Prime Minister Boris Johnson earlier this week.

Pubs are also now restricted by law to table service only, while customers have to wear masks, apart from when sat at their table.

Mark Daniels, who runs the Brewers Arms with wife Debbie, said the curfew was the new rule that would penalise the pub trade the most.

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Mr Daniels said: “Six in a group, masks, they are good things and make sense.

“But as far as the curfew is concerned, the safest place to drink is in a pub. I’m losing 14 hours a week now, that last hour at weekends is a considerable trade.

“Being forced to lock the door at 10pm, it is going to lead to people going to socialise in other people’s homes.

“I have seen (on social media) video of people all out on the streets at 10pm after being forced out (on Thursday). Fortunately we won’t get that where we are, but how does that help?”

Alex Pope, landlord of Paul Pry, said: “There have been a few things to get our heads round, but everybody was pretty much on the ball on it.

“We are usually open to 1am on a Saturday night. It is 12 hours a week gone. They are a loss of key hours, when around 30 per cent of our business comes in.

“It will be quite a loss.

“The table service means we have to have an extra member of staff, which on a quiet night we would not particularly need.

“And the loss of those hours - before it would stagger people out leaving.

“We are just doing what we are told.

“A second lockdown is now on our minds. We managed to ride the first lockdown, diversifying.

“Christmas is our busiest time, with the possibility of more measures coming we run the risk of losing a lot more income.”