Newbury pub owner calls for greater clarity over social distancing
Ed Turner says it is impossible to plan for reopening without knowing whether one metre or two metre rules apply
THE owner of a Newbury pub is calling on the Government to provide greater clarity over future social distancing guidelines so plans can be made to reopen.
Ed Turner of Buff & Bear Saloons, which has The Dolphin pub and boutique hotel in Bartholomew Street, says he cannot make any preparations until he knows how much space is available to them.
Currently, the UK’s social distancing guidelines mean people from different households must stay two metres apart to stop the transmission of coronavirus.
There have been calls from industry leaders and some backbench MPs to halve the distance to kick-start the economy and help businesses – particularly those in the hospitality sector – to reopen.
A number of other countries, including France, Denmark and Singapore, follow the one metre rule, which the World Health Organisation (WHO) recommended as a “minimum” distance.
Mr Turner said: “All I want is some sort of clarity so we can make a decision on when to reopen, when to order beer, how many tables we can have and when we can unfurlough staff.
“At the moment we cannot take any bookings because we have no idea whether we can reopen and how.
“On a business basis I would love it to be one metre, but only if it meant people were safe.
“I wouldn’t want it to be at the expense of a second spike.
“At two metres we could probably operate with around 40 per cent of our tables.
“If it was one metre it would be more like 75 per cent, which is a big difference.
“If they [the Government] can’t give us a notice period and a definitive date for opening, then don’t dangle a carrot.
“I’d rather push the opening date back and have some certainty.”
Mr Turner is no stranger to a crisis.
In 2018, his company’s gastropub The Old Ale and Coffee House in central Salisbury saw a downturn in trade on the back of the Novichok poisoning.
Two years on, with The Dolphin now added to its portfolio, it is dealing with the fallout of Covid-19.
He said: “The Novichok crisis was nowhere near as harsh as Covid-19, which could impact our business by 50 to 60 per cent or more as a result of social distancing.
“The same principles apply now as they did then, it is about looking after staff and managing customer expectations.
“However, this time it is a generational crisis, we’re all in the same boat.
“You can’t feel sorry for yourself; you’ve got to have a positive outlook.”
Mr Turner’s two pubs have benefited from different levels of support since lockdown.
In the case of The Old Ale & Coffee House, it received a Government grant, but The Dolphin’s rateable value was fractionally over the £51,000 ceiling so it didn’t receive anything.
Mr Turner is confident that customers will come back, saying: “I think people will be desperate for a pint and to have someone to cook and wash up for them.
“Initially I think there will be a surge of people and then trade will settle down with a more balanced trading period through the week.
“It’s really important to ensure that people feel safe if they’re to come back again and for them to do that staff have to feel safe too.”
Mr Turner made the decision to close his pubs on March 18 and furlough all staff except himself, focusing on the health and wellbeing of employees and preparing for a post-lockdown business.
In preparation for re-opening, he has ordered multiple sanitisers, PPE for staff if they want them and is undertaking a risk assessment to see what might work, including if a one-way system is possible.
To improve the operation of the business, all transactions will be cash free and an app introduced with a loyalty scheme to boost trade.
Tables will have to be booked in advance to ensure there aren’t queues and pre-orders will be required for large family groups.
