Portsmouth pubs face pouring thousands of pints down the drain due to takeaway alcohol ban

Pubs and breweries were able to sell alcohol for takeaway consumption during the first national lockdown – but now government guidelines say these venues are banned from selling alcohol takeaways when the new lockdown comes into force on Thursday.

The takeaway service saved Portsmouth pub Hole In The Wall during the first lockdown – now it faces throwing out thousands of pounds worth of beer, according to landlord Jon McKerracher .

The landlord of the award-winning pub said said: ‘People are up in arms.

‘I have my fingers crossed its just bad wording from the government – who knows with this lot.

‘During the first lockdown, our best week saw us sell 1,200 pints.

‘Now I’ve got 12 barrels that won’t keep if they extend the lockdown.’

The announcement is a blow to Sara Pollard-Dambach of the Roebuck Inn, in Wickham, as the her and partner Oliver re-opened the pub just two months ago.

She said: ‘It’s not very good news.

‘We were planning to do takeaways and work with key workers to make sure they are fed.

‘We were given three months by the owner to show that we can be on the path to buying the pub.

‘He has been fantastic and really wants us to succeed.

‘But the financials will not look great.’

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Southsea pub The Lawrence Arms did not offer takeaway pints during the first lockdown – but was hoping to offer the service this time around to bring in some much needed cash.

Landlady Ali Wearn, said: ‘Customers have said rather than buy a couple of beers and a pizza from Tesco, they would rather give that trade to the pub.

‘We hope the government changes its mind.’

And without a change in direction from the government, the pub is facing pouring beer down the drain, according to Ali: ‘We have six ale pumps, and one of them alone has five barrels backed up on it.

‘An average barrel will costs us about £100.

‘And then there’s the knock-on effect with the breweries.’

One of the pub’s suppliers, Urban Island Brewing Co in Hilsea, plans to expand deliveries – currently made on Fridays and Saturdays – to make up for any shortfall, but ‘a lot of uncertainty’ hangs above the sector, according to co-owner Hayley Wise.

She said: ‘It’s not great.

‘There’s a lot of uncertainty with the government’s announcement.

‘Since the 10pm curfew and capacity restrictions, a lot of pubs have already lost two thirds of their trade.

‘So we’ve lost two thirds of our trade.

‘We are going to carry on brewing - we have our canning line up and running now.’

Giles Babb, landlord of the The Blue Bell Inn, Emsworth, said: ‘It’s grossly unfair - supermarkets are still allowed to sell alcohol.

‘There’s no reason why we shouldn’t be able to sell takeaway alcohol. It was something that would give us a small source of income while we were shut.

‘Lockdown is meant to be for a month but I think it will be more like six weeks. It will have a huge impact.’

Mr Babb believes the hospitality industry is being unfairly singled-out by the government.

‘The hospitality industry is being used as a scapegoat. Only two per cent of Covid cases have come from the hospitality industry,’ he said.

‘We don’t have to sign in at supermarkets yet there is far more chance of mixing there.

‘Trade is already down 40 per cent and we are struggling to keep staff. Costs are a lot more than the money coming in.

‘The public have also lost faith in going to the pub after what’s been said by the government yet pubs are one of the safest places you can go with all the measures taken and risk assessments.’

He added: ‘We need help and support.’

Frank Dixie, landlord of the Square Cow in Wickham, said: ‘It’s terrible - it doesn’t do us any good. I hope we can survive.

‘I can understand why the government has done it though, as people were abusing (takeaway alcoholic drinks) during the first lockdown by walking around with drinks. It didn’t go well.

‘But it is still an absolute killer. If it goes through Christmas then it will be the end of pubs as we know because that is such an important time of year.’

Allan Marks, landlord of The White Lion in Soberton, added: ‘I don’t see why you can’t buy takeaway alcohol from pubs when you can still buy alcohol in supermarkets.

‘Some of the rules have been crazy. I don’t know why they have changed it from the first lockdown.’

But other landlords are less sure a takeaway service in winter would prove to be profitable.

Rodney Watson, landlord at The Southsea Village, said: ‘We sold five barrels a week of takeaway beer during the first lockown.

‘Now the weather isn’t so nice outdoors, people won’t be taking pints down the common, so I don’t think it will be massive loss – it wouldn’t be worth it as you have to bring in staff and you might not make that money back.’

Pub and brewery lobbying groups are calling for the government to re-think the proposal, with the Campaign for Real Ale branding it ‘baffling and damaging’.

The national chairman of the group, Nik Antona, said: ‘It is a baffling and damaging decision to remove this option, particularly when other businesses such as supermarkets are able to continue to sell takeaway alcohol.’

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

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