Pubs and restaurants in Luton will be forced to close from Saturday amid tough new Tier 3 Coronavirus restrictions, despite one councillor claiming local evidence shows “that hospitality is not a driver of transmission.”
The new strictest possible restrictions will take effect from one minute past midnight on Saturday morning, when all hospitality businesses will be required to shut their doors, though they can still supply takeaway.
The Tier 3 announcement was made today in the House of Commons by the Secretary of State for Health, but Cllr Sian Timoney, deputy leader of Luton Council, expressed some concerns about the effectiveness of moving into tier 3, and particularly the impact it will have on hospitality businesses.
She said: “Our local evidence shows us that hospitality is not a driver of transmission in Luton and we are worried that their forced closures will lead to more social mixing in private residences, where this often of a longer duration, less well-ventilated and less likely to be detected and challenged.
“Our local pubs, restaurants, and cafes, many who are already on their knees, have been fantastic all year and invested so much to make their venues Covid-safe. This will be another huge financial blow to them.
“We will be urging the government to take a look at what’s happening in the hospitality sector and put in place urgent additional measures to properly compensate businesses which have been so badly affected through no fault of their own.”
But that will be a further bitter blow for wet-led pubs in the town, with The Castle in the town centre last night foreseeing today’s announcement.
The pub and music venue, which has started a GoFundMe page, told their Facebook followers that they would reopen from midday today (Thursday, December 17) for “some fun with you guys before we may possibly have to close again on Saturday. So….potentially 2 days to get through stock. Challenge accepted?”
Popular Round Green restaurant Old Skool Pantry also said the new restrictions are “hard to swallow”, posting on Facebook: ‘To say we are gutted is putting it mildly. We know the rules are the rules but sadly all Tier 3 does is shut down hospitality (again) whilst other industries continue to trade. It’s hard to swallow but it is what it is…
‘We will be open until 11pm tomorrow night so one final breakfast, lunch and dinner service for 2020. We will of course have a takeaway menu available from Saturday as well as all our boxes available and will update shortly.
‘We must of course say that we will do what we have to even though we feel hospitality is taking the brunt of this. OSP is still here thanks to your takeaways, collections and deliveries over the last few months. We thank you all for your support.’
Last month, the MP for Luton South, Rachel Hopkins raised the plight of wet-led pubs in the when she gave a speech in the House of Commons, asking the government to debate what support can be provided to protect the future of pubs.
That came after The Castle had hit out at the government’s decision to plunge the UK back into the tiered system of restrictions after a second national lockdown in November, as a decision to “punish” the hospitality sector.
They added: ‘These restrictions come as, possibly, the final blow to our industry. By spring, 94% of pubs placed in Tier 3 restrictions will be closed for good. Now begins the death of Britain’s real community hubs, where friends and family gather for any occasion.
‘These tiers do not read as moves to prevent the spread of Covid-19, more a scheme to take away the livelihoods of so many.’
While today’s announcement was a bitter blow for Luton businesses, the Tier 3 restrictions also mean that Luton Town fans will be shut out of their Championship clash with Bournemouth on Saturday. It comes just after a limited number of fans had just been allowed to return to Kenilworth Road for the last two home games, after more than nine months locked out of the stadium.
Shops, supermarkets, gyms, hairdressers and barbers can remain open, but there will be further restrictions to every day life for Lutonians, including:
Meeting indoors
You must not socialise with anyone you do not live with or who is not in your support bubble in any indoor setting, whether at home or in a public place
Meeting outdoors
You must not meet socially (in a private garden or at most outdoor public venues), with anybody you do not live with or who is in your support bubble. You can meet with people you do not live with (or do not have a support bubble with) in some outdoor public places, in a group of up to six people (including children).
Work
Everyone who can work from home should do so. Where people cannot do so, they should continue to travel to their workplace
School
All pupils should continue to attend school and colleges, unless required to self-isolate.
Cllr Khtija Malik, Luton Council portfolio holder for public health, said: “Luton has pulled together previously to drive down rates and we are determined to lead efforts to do the same again.
“The power to slow the spread is through everyone’s individual actions and I urge people to follow the guidance, pass it onto friends and family and together we can get some sort of normality back in our lives sooner.”
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