The trade is set to lose sales worth 12m pints and 3.6m meals, a total of £86m, due to lockdown restrictions being in place for Mother’s Day, one trade body has estimated.
This is the second Mothering Sunday many pubs have missed out on as Prime Minister Boris Johnson urged the public to avoid pubs, clubs, theatres and other social venues on 16 March 2020, before announcing the first full national lockdown just a few days afterwards (23 March).
The millions of pounds worth of trade the industry will miss out on was calculated by the British Beer & Pub Association (BBPA) and the trade association also emphasised the importance the Government follow the roadmap, allowing pubs to trade fully from 21 June.
Excluded areas: breweries and wet-led pubs won t benefit from the VAT reduction extension as it does not apply to alcohol (image: Getty/Odairson Antonello Plans outlined in the Chancellor’s Spring Budget, such as the VAT cut extension, will lead to further brewery closures according to one trade body.
“The Chancellor spent an extraordinary amount of taxpayers money to help keep the economy moving and jobs protected, pledging almost £59bn to policies including furlough extensions, continued business rates cuts, grants for hospitality of up to £9,000 and a series of investment initiatives, Society of Independent Brewers (SIBA) chief executive James Calder said.
The trade has reacted to rumours that the Government is considering scrapping 10pm curfew and substantial meal measures as well as barring reopened pubs from selling alcohol.