Pubs and restaurants in England trading at half their pre-pandemic levels after lockdown reopening
Pub and restaurant chains, which reopened in England last weekend, have traded at roughly half their pre-coronavirus levels, as many customers avoid eating or drinking out due to infection fears.
Sales from the pubs which opened on on 4 and 5 July were 45 per cent below pre-pandemic levels, analysis found.
About four in 10 chain pubs reopened their doors last weekend, after being closed since March, according to the Coffer Peach Business Tracker, which collates sales figures from 32 pub chains.
Only 12 per cent of chain restaurants resumed service last weekend, and those which opened reported sales 41 per cent below the normal rate.
“Trading at around 55 per cent of pre-Covid norms may seem a disappointing result, and it won’t be profitable for operators, but it is very much in line with what we have seen in other markets,” said Karl Chessell, director of CGA, the consultancy that produces the data with the Coffer Group and RSM.
“When bars and restaurants began reopening in the US during May, it was only after a couple of weeks that sales reached 54 per cent of pre-Covid levels.
“It is going to take time for the trade to return but this provides a foundation on which to build consumer confidence and adapt and improve operations.”
On Wednesday, Chancellor Rishi Sunak unveiled a multibillion pound package to support the hospitality industry's post-lockdown recovery.
This package included a VAT reduction to 5 per cent for food and soft drinks and a government-funded meal discount scheme.
However, UK pubs which rely on alcohol sales for revenue have warned that they risk being forced to close after being excluded from the support.
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