Harrogate independent bar owner 'having to throw away pints of beer'

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Robert Thompson said: "It's the most concerning time I have ever seen in the industry in the 34 years I have been so closely involved in.

"For me, personally, it's another huge blow.

"We are planning to be completely shut until the spring and feel we will be under restrictions of hopefully ever decreasing severity for the rest of the year."

Mr Thompson, who owns the Devonshire Tap House in Harrogate, Tap On Tower Street in Harrogate, The Groves in Knaresborough and The Hart in Knaresborough plus SO! bars in Harrogate, Knaresborough and Ripon which boast a strong food offer in normal times, was forced to mothball some of his bars last year even when North Yorkshire was in Tier 2.

Mr Thompson said he was not against taking action to control the pandemic but the return to full lockdown would mean once again throwing away a lot of his pub chain's stock.

At the national level, it is estimated pubs in England had to pour nearly 70 million pints of beer down the drain during the first lockdown.

A supporter of strong action against the virus, Mr Thompson said: "The problem again is the short notice and impact on loss of stock that we were holding, we have had to write off stock three times now this year, due to lack of notice and change in plans.

"However, this time there is real concern about the virus, I certainly know a lot more people with it now than I did last March.

"With this in mind and for the protection of our staff we have decided to completely close even for take away in the SO! bars for the foreseeable future.

"It seems the right thing to do to keep everyone safe and try and help stop this virus in the small way we can help."

Today has seen Prime Minister Boris Johnson give a warning that Covid lockdown 3.0 could last until April.

Mr Thompson said he feared restrictions impeding the ability of bars to open and make a livelihood were likely to remain in place for much of the year.

He said: "As to when we can we open, I have no idea, although they are mentioning after half term as a possible date.

"There is no guaranteed date to come out of lockdown and even when this happens I cannot see hospitality being allowed to open even on a Tier 3 basis for a number of weeks after that."

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