Many pubs are choosing to close entirely rather than continue their operations as a takeaway or delivery service. Two gastropub operators share their advice to pubs closing down their kitchens about what to do with leftover food.
Two operators talk about the realities of operating or closing their pubs during the coronavirus pandemic in a special edition of The MA Podcast, which looks at the state of the on-trade amid the chaos.
Pub and restaurant closures have led Brits to leap into takeaways, as well as food and drink deliveries, with more than half of consumers having food sent to their homes.
Over the past seven days, dry-led pubs saw 30% fewer customers compared to the same period in 2019, including a 53% drop in footfall in just one day (18 March).
Now pubs have been ordered to close, some sites have opted for a takeaway service for social distancing and self-isolating customers who still crave pub grub.
Many operations are being forced to close or scale back business after Prime Minister Boris Johnson told the public not to visit the on-trade despite not declaring sites should go into lockdown.
The Association of British Insurers (ABI) has announced that most businesses would not have purchased cover that will protect their loss of trade from coronavirus, even if Boris Johnson forcibly closes doors.
High-end restaurant chain Hawksmoor has felt obligated to make the “most difficult decision we have ever made” by temporarily closing its eateries in response to the Covid-19 outbreak.
Unite is calling for action to support the industry and the thousands of staff who face being laid off amid the potential “death knell” for many sites.
Chips are a mainstay when it comes to eating out of home and you could be heating up your profits through the humble potato, not to mention the positive reviews that will follow.
The severe flooding that began in early February combined with the growing impact of the coronavirus crisis has started “to take its toll” across the on-trade.
A Lidl supermarket has lodged an application to open its first pub in one of its stores, with hope of bringing “great value assortment” to its customers.
Publicans have reiterated their concerns over proposals to make it compulsory for pubs to include the calorie and nutritional information of dishes on menus.
