The boss of St Austell Brewery has called for Government grants for all pubs, tax cuts and a support plan that extends well beyond the second lockdown as the firm shuts 180 venues, furloughs staff and gives unused stock to food banks.
Making a statement as England enters a four-week lockdown, with hospitality businesses ordered to close, Kevin Georgel, chief executive of the brewing and pub company, said he will continue to lobby ministers for further support for the hospitality industry.
“We desperately need a longer-term support plan that reaches far beyond this lockdown period,” he said. “This support should include grants for all pubs and confirmation that business rates holiday and VAT cuts for our sector will continue well beyond the end of March.”
Mr Georgel said the firm was “devastated” at having to close up pubs again but said bosses recognise “the seriousness of the situation and the reason for the Government’s decision”.
He said the “absolute priority” remains taking care of workers, tenants and customers, and providing support during the second lockdown.
And he remains hopeful because pubs are “vitally important” to many people as “part of the fabric of what makes our industry wonderful”.
“Pubs bring people together in good times and bad and provide so much more than just great beer and food. Pubs play a vital role in bringing local communities, friends and families together,” he said.
In October 2020. St Austell Brewery announced it is cutting up to 100 jobs, and it has now put staff on furlough until December.
Mr Georgel said: “With support from the Government’s furlough scheme – which we’re grateful has been extended until December – we have asked our pub teams, and a large proportion of our operational teams, to temporarily step aside from their roles until pubs reopen.
“They will all continue to receive 80% of their salary until we’re able to welcome them back again and we will keep this under weekly review until normal trading can resume.”
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He stressed that the firm had already waived rents for pub tenants until the end of the new lockdown and added: “In the weeks ahead we will be doing all we can to support our tenants. We have been building on these trusted and supportive relationships for 169 years and will continue to do all we can to help them navigate this latest challenge.
“We have already waived commercial rent until December 2 and our tenanted operations teams will be available to provide guidance on the Government schemes and grants available.”
Beer production will continue at the firm’s two breweries, in St Austell and Bath, and Mr Georgel said: "Our production teams at St Austell Brewery and Bath Ales will continue to brew and bottle our beers, which will be available from our online shop and supermarkets across the UK throughout lockdown.”
And on November 5, the first day of lockdown, workers will be delivering perishable goods from all managed houses to food banks with Mr Georgel saying this is to ensure that nothing is wasted and “goes to those who need it the most”.
He added: “We will look to find other ways to continue supporting our local communities throughout the lockdown period.”
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He also thanked “everybody who has bought one of our beers or visited our pubs and hotels since we reopened on July 4” saying: “Your support during these unprecedented times has been hugely important and meant a great deal to us all.
“I’m enormously grateful for the support of our wonderful teams across the business, and our tenants and their teams, all of whom have worked tirelessly to adapt how we operate in line with changing Government regulations.
“They’ve kept our pubs, inns and hotels safe and regulated, while continuing to provide the same warm welcome and great hospitality.
“Our production teams worked around the clock to keep our bottled beers on supermarket shelves during lockdown and restock our customers with fresh cask beer ready for reopening.
“With every day that goes by, I become more impressed at the calibre and commitment of our people in these extremely challenging times and I am incredibly proud to lead such a dedicated and passionate team.”
