MA’S REVIEW OF THE WEEK
‘We’re still feeling a bit like the fun police’
The Morning Advertiser’s Ed Bedington spoke with Phil Thorley of Thorley Taverns to discuss the most recent on-trade news - including the latest on vaccine passports.
Further reading:
- No answers after ‘empty’ vaccine passport statement - The pub sector has been once more left without clarity after a minister updated MPs on the review into vaccine passports, one trade organisation has said.
- Operator hopeful 'common sense will prevail' in planning debacle - A pub operator has been 'flooded' with support on social media after being told to take down an outside bar by council officials.
- 'No one knows how to use the NHS app' - Pubgoers have been hesitant to use the NHS contact-tracing app and been reluctant to hand over their details, operators have reported.
- 'Sensible' for Prime Minister to drop vaccine passports for pubs - The pub trade has welcomed reports Covid-status certification will not be introduced in pubs.
- Operators advised over heater safety issues - Pub operators have been advised that allowing customers to bring portable heaters to beer gardens creates a risk that is “very difficult” to manage.
- ‘Number one priority is to restore the business’ - Sharing a heartland with Covid-19’s ‘Kent variant’ has seen the vast majority of Shepherd Neame’s 300-odd sites shuttered for more than five months. As such, CEO Jonathan Neame is looking forward to what he believes will be a ‘very good summer’.
- 'We couldn't have taken any more money' - Operators recounted a positive first week of outdoor trading amid high demand but said they faced challenging circumstances.
- Just a quarter of licensed venues reopened for outdoor trading - Around 23.2% of England’s 89,963 licensed premises were trading by Thursday 15 April, figures have found.
- Staff do not have to ask to see app check-ins - Pub staff do not have to ask customers to show their phone screens to prove they have checked into the venue via the NHS app, it has been confirmed.
- What are rules for pubs to reopen for outside trading? - With updated guidance revealed following Prime Minister Boris Johnson's announcement earlier this week (Monday 5 April), we have put together the rules pubs need to know ahead of outdoor trade being permitted on Monday (12 April).
(Image Credit: DA4554/Getty Images)
