It's well documented that hospitality has been one of the hardest hit sectors by the pandemic. Pubs, cafes and restaurants have had to stay shut for lengthy periods since the first lockdown was imposed in March last year, and when open their ability to trade has been significantly hampered by various restrictions. Although the sector did enjoy something of a resurgence over the summer months, boosted by the easing of coronavirus measures and the Eat Out To Help scheme in August, its economic output was still below pre-pandemic levels. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) reported in early March that just 43 per cent of hospitality businesses UK-wide were still trading at that time, compared to 74 per cent across all industries, while 55 per cent of hospitality businesses had temporarily paused trading compared with 24 per cent across all industries.