Gosport pub landlords say customers were 'spooked' by coronavirus case at The Village Home Pub

On July 7, after pubs had reopened, The Village Home Pub in Alverstoke confirmed a staff member tested positive for coronavirus, which came after someone in their family bubble was also tested.

The closure of the pub saw other nearby venues, such as The Park Tavern and The Fighting Cocks, close as a precaution.

Now, other pub owners say they have noticed a drop-off in customers, despite having all the necessary safety precautions in place.

They are urging people to make the most of the reopened pubs as a way of supporting local business.

Rob Hylands, owner of The Foresters Arms in Anns Hill Road, said: ‘I think people got spooked by what happened.

‘But the reality is that there are some really decent local businesses trying to get back on their feet, while adhering to the safety guidelines.

‘At the moment we're not making huge amounts of money as it is, so the support of our customers is crucial.’

Fellow landlord Zack Toms-Pearce, who runs The White Horse Inn in Nobes Avenue, said: ‘We’ve certainly seen a ripple effect from the Village Home pub, and that is noticeable.

‘It could have been much worse, but we want people to know that pubs are still safe places to be – and it still feels like a pub in here as well.’

SEE ALSO: Concerns as Gosport pub closes shortly after reopening

At The Foresters Arms, Rob says he has been taking it slowly with the reopening, with things like the darts board still out of action.

He says that safety must be the top priority for pubs in the forseeable future, claiming landlords must be careful to ‘do things right’.

Zack feels the same way, but is urging people to make the most of the pubs that have opened.

He said: ‘Money is not the important thing right now – keeping everyone safe comes above everything else.

‘Our pub group Admiral has been great with that and we can’t thank them enough.

‘If we went into a local lockdown, pubs would be the first places to close, so I would urge people to do what they can to support local business.’

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

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