Although that sounds good in principle, I think that would have killed a lot of brewers who's main volume supply chain was through supermarkets with all the pubs being shut in the main. Yes, your huge monster brand aggregators would turn over their volume as usual, but there are plenty of smaller brewers that sell some product through supermarkets (or did last time i entered a supermarket!) At least the supermarkets largely returned the rates rebates they were gifted. I'm not sure shielding would have been survivable sober!
Let's be honest given the current laws clearly a stupid thing to do, but i can understand the frustrations that will have led to it.
We've lost 6,000 licensed premises so far. That number could, and likely will, exponentially grow from 8th March. Job losses are likely to hit the 600,000 mark with furlough working as delayed unemployment for so many people rather than the hope of having a job later this year. One of the largest contributors to jobs and mental health completely decimated for a lockdown strategy that looks to have far more failings than it does positives. Never has 'wanting a pint' being more important and so misunderstood.
It can. But remember, its 2-3 weeks from vaccination to achieve immunity. So at best, you are looking at 5-6 weeks if someone has their first jab now and follows the manufacturer recommended 3 weeks schedule. If the government follows their 13 week schedule, you are looking at 4 months before people get the full level of immunity.
As for your last sentence....... pre lockdown I was driving 12 hours a day. Mite have a pint when I'd finished then a pint of coke. I'd mix with the locals. Catch up on the gossip and enjoy the banter before going home to bed ready for the next early start. It wasn't about the pints really. My mum is 75 and Covid obsessed and locked down way before lockdown. She lives 3 miles away n I've seen her 3 times since March at a distance. Her social circle is bowling club, ukelele group and caravan along with grandkids. She's towed big time not been able to do it. Mine, along with others, is the pub local environment which I fear when my lads of legal drinking age he'll not get the chance to enjoy. It helped us all to grow up. I for one would severely miss it.
You can’t beat a decent hand pulled pint of well kept real ale , in a pub , no amount of craft cans/bottles at home can replace being stood at the bar watching your pint being pulled , settling , then tasting the nectar of your choice .
Absolutely mate. The 'wanting a pint' comment was more said in jest at those who claim that's all hospitality offers, and that's all we're craving, when the reality for hundreds of thousands of us is that the pub and the industry offers a hell of a lot more than that - as you've described perfectly above.
Boris mentioning again different variants again to keep this nightmare going. Hospitality will take years to recover. I cannot see a time pubs will open back up as I think there will always have a reason to keep them shut.
Not much to argue with there but clearly even the half arsed lockdown we are doing is having an impact. The R rate and cases are falling but the way the govt has treated the leisure and entertainment industry is revolting.
Hancock saying the South Africa variant might make the vaccine 50 percent less efficient and SAGE saying relaxing lockdown is dependent on if the vaccine stops the spread which they won't know for months. Two weeks in to 2021 and it's going to be a nightmare.
This sort of 5hite until 12 months before the next election then everything becomes alright all of a sudden, no restrictions, sunlit up-lands, Brexit bonus, everything soon forgotten, Tory government for another 5 years.
Both Hancock and Johnson suggesting we can't look to open up if we see new "variants" so that will likely be never if we follow that. Last week the Govt. said The number of Covid deaths decreasing, pressure on the NHS reducing,evidence of the vaccination programme working and no new variant appearing Last night we got "we want to ease restrictions as soon as it is safe to do so, but in order for us to do that we need to see the transmission rates of the virus come down and we need to see the pressure on the NHS reduce." So is it all of the above? How is any of his measured ect? Honestly feels like it will never end I think certainly 2021 is looking like a write off too. On a personal note still no sign of my kids receiving any education. Still at least elite sport can carry on.