BBPA welcomes new task force for pubs and restaurants

The British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA) has welcomed the creation of five new ministerial-led task forces to develop plans for how and when closed sectors can reopen safely, following publication of the UK’s roadmap to rebuild Britain.

One of the new task forces will specifically look at pubs and restaurants and will be led by the Department for Business, Energy and industrial Strategy (BEIS). 

Its objective will be to get intelligence and expert input from the pub trade, with contributions from the BBPA to create secure relevant sectoral guidelines in line with public health directions.

The BBPA said it is already working very closely with BEIS on the support pubs and brewers need through this crisis, and for re-opening, and looks forward to continuing this relationship and offering its expert advice by further contributing to the new taskforce.

Emma McClarkin, CEO said:  “We greatly welcome the creation of this taskforce for pubs and restaurants and will be providing our expertise to help our sector to open as safely and quickly as possible.

“As an organisation that already works closely with the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, we look forward to continuing our work with them to ensure the recovery of our sector. In contributing to the taskforce we aim to get pubs on track for reopening as soon as possible.”

She added: “We will be sharing all our intelligence and expertise on the beer and pub sector. We will also provide pubs for pilot testing of new Covid-19 secure guidelines.”

“We believe that pubs should only open when safe to do so, but without additional support now – particularly for those who won’t be able to re-open sooner – many more of our nation’s pubs and the brewers that supply them with beer will struggle to survive closure and beyond.

McClarkin concluded: “We’ll therefore continue to press the government for the ongoing support our sector needs.”

The news comes as the BBPA said that its hope for clarity on reopening and extra support for pubs has been “dashed” by Boris Johnson’s announcement.

Its warning comes as research from the BBPA showed that 40% of UK pubs will not survive beyond September without further financial support.

The group warned that the government failed to outline specific additional financial support for pubs in order to “assure and help them through the extended lockdown hardship they face”.