As Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced his 'roadmap' to Parliament on Monday (22 February), Frodsham MP Mike Amesbury voiced the concerns of Queens Head pub manager Ryan McKeown, who was disappointed that the plans did not include details of economic support available to businesses required to stay closed for longer.

Here, Ryan explains the situation he and many other hospitality and leisure sector workers are facing.

The roadmap unveiled by The Prime Minister on Monday finally gave some long awaited assurances to people in the pub and hospitality industry, but these dates are not set in stone.

An increase in hospitalisations or a slowdown in the rate of vaccination could set opening dates back by weeks at a time. The industry needs more help and more assurances, which we've still not seen from either the PM or the Chancellor.

On April 12, children can be part of busy classrooms in schools, we can get onto trains to go into town to do our shopping in busy shops, we can sit and wait for a haircut or go to our local community centre or library, but we still won't be able to go for a pint in our local pub which has spent hundreds, potentially thousands, in creating a Covid-secure environment.

As part of a managed pub company we operate differently to leased or tenanted businesses. However, we all need to see that further support in the shape of a furlough extension from the Chancellor, along with the continued cut in VAT to 5% and continued business rates relief, to get the UK's 5th biggest industry back on its feet again.

Outdoor Spaces

We need more support in operating our outside spaces safely, including the use of pavement licenses where possible, but how do we plan to reopen a business for outside trade only for a 5-week period when the weather in this country is so unpredictable?

Will it be a case of having to open our curtains on the day to decide whether we bother to open our outside trading areas?

No business can run effectively on that basis and the uncertainty for our hourly paid staff members cannot be conducive to good mental health and wellbeing.

To stock up our cellars and kitchens and carry out all the pre work required to get a pub open again requires time and money invested before we even think about opening our doors. I can't realistically see businesses breaking even by just offering outside trade only.

I guess we just have to be thankful there's no 10pm curfew and the ridiculous 'Scotch Egg' rule has been scrapped!

Frodsham has many great pubs that all cater to different needs and demographics, but also to create employment for a large proportion of local residents.

It would be a shame if we lost any local businesses as a result of the pandemic. I like to think that every pub in Frodsham compliments each other in some way and works together - via our local pub watch scheme - on what is happening locally.

These businesses will have spent a great deal on ensuring Covid compliance and creating a safe environment for customers.

We have reduced indoor capacity to allow for social distancing, responded quickly to changing legislation and guidelines, and accepted the loss of our regulars who could no longer join us daily for just a pint when the government introduced the need for a 'substantial meal'.

To now tell us that we can only operate outside spaces between April and May seems like just another setback.

Furlough

The furlough scheme has left too many people behind.

One of my members of staff worked part time last year whilst they were in full time education, but after leaving school, they decided to work full time with us and did so from when we first re-opened in July.

Their furlough pay is still calculated from back when they were a student working a few shifts at weekends and not as a full-time employee.

This can't be fair and there are now nearly three million who have been excluded or left behind in this way.

You can view Mike Amesbury MP's address to Parliament here.

To read his full reaction to the roadmap announcement, click here.