Category: News

South Yorkshire moving to tier 3 Covid lockdown

Posted on by Andy Cullen

Saturday 24 October sees Sheffield, Rotherham, Barnsley and Doncaster move up to tier 3 which means you aren’t allowed to mix with anyone outside your own household or support bubble except in parks and the countryside, additionally pubs are only allowed to remain open to serve meals.

You will still be able to go to the pub for food (and have a drink with your meal) but of course not with anyone you don’t live with.

This will see any pub that doesn’t serve food closed down and most that do starved of custom, putting them at risk of going out of business. Those that have to close get some government help with wages and possibly a small grant, but this is expected to be inadequate to keep them in business.

The situation has been described as heartbreaking that the hospitality sector is being targeted in this way when many others others haven’t despite investing a lot of effort and money adapting to be clean, safe and covid-secure.

Like with the 10pm curfew, there are likely to be side effects, for example encouraging groups of friends to eat and drink in potentially busy public parks where there isn’t the same kind of regulation as licenced premises.

We encourage all our members (and anyone else reading this!) to keep supporting local pubs and breweries through this wherever possible – consider going to the pub for lunch; or buying cans, bottles or minikegs to drink at home directly from local breweries.

If you haven’t already, please email your MP to call for proper government financial support for pubs to help them survive whilst doing their bit to keep everyone safe – the Save Our Pubs campaign page makes it easy to do.

PUBLICANS: please let us know if you are remaining open serving food and beer from Saturday so we can add you to our list online.

Government information regarding tier 3 (very high alert)

Statement from Sheffield City Region Mayor Dan Jarvis

BBC News coverage

Star Pubs Code fine

Posted on by Andy Cullen

Commenting on the announcement that Heineken UK’s pub arm, Star Pubs & Bars, has been fined £2m after being found to have seriously and repeatedly breached the Pubs Code, CAMRA National Chairman Nik Antona said:

“This is a good and deserved outcome for Star tenants – and a landmark moment for the Pubs Code Adjudicator. We are glad that the PCA has used their financial penalty powers for the first time. 

“We hope this will send a clear message to regulated pub companies that they cannot get away with breaching the Code. In this case, the PCA found repeated breaches of the Code in multiple areas – we want to see further investigations from the PCA to make sure that other regulated pub companies are complying.

“The pub sector as we know it is currently under threat due to the ongoing Coronavirus crisis, and lack of proper financial support from central Government. Pub companies need to be supporting their tied tenants through this, and at a very minimum this should mean fulfilling their basic obligations under the Code. As we see further local lockdowns and forced closures periods, we are again calling on pub companies to do the right thing and cancel rent for publicans that are unable to trade.

“We are also looking forward to the publication on the Pubs Code Review, which we hope will expand the enforcement options available to the PCA so that they can act more quickly and decisively to clamp down on abuse of the Code in future.” 

Nik Anita, CAMRA National Chairman

New restrictions hit pubs from Thursday

Posted on by Guest

In response to the Government announcement that pubs and restaurants will be forced to close at 10pm from Thursday 24th September onwards, CAMRA National Chairman Nik Antona commented:

“As things stand this morning, hospitality is the only sector to be subject to new restrictions. This will be devastating news for thousands of publicans across England who have been willing to do whatever is necessary to provide a safe, Covid-secure place for people to enjoy the wellbeing benefits of having a pint with friends and family.

“The Government should not impose arbitrary restrictions that target one sector without explanation or evidence, which, so far, we have not seen. We are now calling for a new financial support package to be introduced for pubs immediately, which includes the extension of the furlough scheme and the cancellation of business rates for another year, or they risk countless pub closures and job losses.”

In addition to the 10pm close, pubs are now required to operate table service and both customers and staff are required to wear face coverings whenever not seated.

Click here for our rough guide to Covid Safe pub going.

 

 

Small Brewers Relief

Posted on by Guest

CAMRA, the Campaign for Real Ale, has urged the Government to change their plans to increase the amount of tax that small brewers across the UK will have to pay.  

In a letter to Kemi Badenoch MP, Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury, the Campaign’s Chairman and Chief Executive laid out their concerns over the move to reduce the level of production at which small brewers receive the full level of tax relief – in order to allow larger brewers to pay less. 

Nik Antona, CAMRA National Chairman, said: 

“Small Brewers’ Relief has been instrumental in creating the brewing boom that we have seen over the past two decades and is vital to maintaining a thriving and diverse beer market, and choice for consumers. 

“The news of these poorly considered reforms to the Small Brewers’ Relief Scheme could not come at a worse time for our small brewers, who are already facing financial uncertainty due to the coronavirus crisis.  

“That’s why CAMRA is joining calls for the Government to rethink its plans to remove tax relief from the smallest brewers to allow larger brewers to pay less, and to publish more information about any other proposed changes to the scheme as soon as possible.” 

Petition

Meanwhile both SIBA and CAMRA are encouraging members as individuals to sign the petition from brewers Anspach & Hobday on the CAMRA website or at this Parliament link https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/334066.

More Information

You can find out more about this campaign at https://camra.org.uk/beer-and-cider/campaigns/sbr/

Plough saga continues

Posted on by Dave Pickersgill
The application to demolish the Plough goes to SCC Planning Committee on Tuesday 4 August. This is the latest twist in a saga which commenced when the previous owners, Enterprise Inns (Ei), decided to deliberately run-down their historically important asset before closure in 2015. Two years later, an application to turn the site into a branch of Sainsburys was refused. The pub company then refused to sell to a local Community Group and instead, sold to a property developer. They, in turn, have allowed the condition of the building to deteriorate: there has been no serious maintenance work. Ei and the subsequent owners, Spacepad UK, have simply left the pub to rot. Planning law places responsibility for the condition of the site with the current owner. By law, the building should have been maintained in a fit and proper condition for its current permitted use as a public house. The site deteriorated to such an extent that it became the subject of a Planning Enforcement enquiry regarding the unauthorised use of the site as a waste disposal facility and a storage site for unregistered vehicles. An Enforcement Notice was recommended. SCC should issue a requirement for the building, and site, to be reinstated to the condition it was in at the time of purchase from Ei. At that point, an independent report, commissioned by the Plough Community Benefit Society Ltd., demonstrated that, for the pub to reopen, no major building work was required and that internal refitting costs were manageable within a realistic business plan. The owners have failed to reinstate the property. Hence, the Council should exercise its power to compulsorily purchase in order to avoid further deterioration. The application to demolish the Plough does not provide any evidence to suggest that it is not viable as a public house. The developer states that no offers were received to lease the pub. This was because it was offered for a completely unrealistic rent of £50,000 pa. Average rents in this area are between £24,000 and £29,000. This planning application would see the Plough replaced by eight houses on the site, none of which would be affordable for local people. The Plough was rebuilt in 1929 and is an important example of an inter war public house which, according to Historic England, are ‘rare and overlooked buildings’. National planning policy recognises the importance of protecting historic assets and their ‘setting’. This was confirmed in the decision of the local authority to refuse the application from Sainsbury’s. The recent planning history of a site is also a relevant consideration in planning decisions. In 2017, the local authority rejected Sainsbury’s application for change of use based on the Plough’s listing as an ACV and it accepted that there were no alternative community facilities within a reasonable distance. In 2018, following the sale of the Plough, the local authority re-listed the pub as an ACV. As there have been no material changes in the reasons why the Plough was listed as an ACV, this should remain an overriding consideration in any decision. There are 214 public comments regarding this planning application: 205 are against the proposal. However, SCC Planning Officials are recommending that demolition goes ahead. If the Planning Committee accepts this recommendation, it sets a dangerous precedent: all a developer needs to do is allow a building to slowly fall-down, and, eventually, SCC will give permission to demolish. As previously stated we believe that the Plough should be functioning as a community pub, with the added attraction of its key place in the history of world football. A small internal museum would not be inappropriate. Dave Pickersgill

A guide to Covid safe pubgoing

Posted on by Andy Cullen
Pubs and bars have gradually been reopening from 4 July and things will be a little different whilst Covid-19 safety rules are in force. Below is CAMRA’s rough guide to the new way of pubgoing, updated to reflect the September changes to government guidance. Note additional comments at the end regarding changes from 14th October. Check out WhatPub for all the information we have about which pubs are reopening and when. Links are also provided to the pub’s website and social media for more details, including any changes to opening hours. If you are using public transport to get to the pub, check out the Travel South Yorkshire website for current timetables and social distancing arrangements and don’t forget your face covering, which is now a legal requirement on public transport and in taxis (unless you have a valid exemption)! So how do things work now? As each pub, bar and food hall are unique and different, there are some differences in the way they are doing things but all the basics are the same in line with government Covid-Safe guidelines with the management and staff working hard to ensure they are providing a clean, safe and comfortable environment to enjoy food and drink:
  • When you arrive you will normally be greeted by a member of staff who will take your NHS Test & Trace contact details (you can either using the new NHS app or the venues own system), ask you to sanitise your hands and show you to a freshly cleaned table. Some venues may require you to book a table in advance, some are walk-in and some a mixture of both.
  • You must have a table, standing in pubs to drink is no longer permitted and unfortunately once all tables are taken no more customers are allowed in.
  • Pubs now operate table service (how civilised!). You are asked where possible to look at drinks menus either printed or online rather than perusing pump clips at the bar.
  • A maximum of 6 people may sit together and you shouldn’t mix with other groups. The same rules now apply both indoors and outdoors.
  • Social distancing arrangements may be in place such as one way systems, separate entrances and exits and limitations of the numbers in the toilets at any one time.
  • Contactless card payments are preferred in venues that accept them as this reduces the risk of Coronavirus being spread through cash handling. Some venues are taking orders and payments online either via a website or an app.
  • You are asked not to move furniture around as the positions are all measured out to comply with social distancing rules.
  • You should follow social distancing advice at all times including if you are outside smoking or queuing to gain entry as well as within the venue.
  • Use your “indoor voice”, shouting can potentially spread germs further. Venues will keep any music and TV to background level to ensure raised voices are not necessary.
  • You must wear a face covering when not sat at your table (so when you arrive and are shown to a table along with when you need to move around the venue such as to visit the toilets for example).
  • All pubs, restaurants and takeaways must be closed with everyone out by 10pm. It is expected that the bars will stop serving around 9:30pm to allow drinking up time so you should ensure you have your last drink (and any take home purchases) by then.
Please be nice to the staff implementing the new rules. They are government rules designed to keep everyone safe through the pandemic, if the staff do not manage the pub in a covid-secure manner they could be closed down! FROM 14th OCTOBER – NEW 3 TIER LOCAL RESTRICTION SYSTEM In Tier 1 areas (Medium Alert) the above applies. In Tier 2 areas (High Alert) an additional rule of not being allowed to be indoors with people from outside your own household applies (therefore if you go to the pub with anyone you do not live with you will need a table outside, unless they are in your support bubble). In Tier 3 areas (Very High Alert) you can only go to pubs if you are having a meal
>> Government Guidance >> CAMRA’s response to new 10pm close rule >> SAVE OUR PUBS – Email your MP to ask pubs get government support to survive the restrictions

Small Brewers Relief

Posted on by Andy Cullen
Responding to the Government’s proposed changes to Small Brewers Relief National Chairman of CAMRA Nik Antona commented:  “Whilst the removal of the cliff edge in the Small Brewers Relief Scheme will benefit many brewers and help successful businesses to grow, CAMRA does not believe this should be achieved at the expense of small brewers.  “Given the impacts of COVID-19 and the lack of support for wet-led pubs and independent producers, the Government should be doing everything it can to support the brewing industry – not ‘robbing Peter to pay Paul’ and removing much-needed help from those who already receive it.  “It is clear that the devil will be in the detail of how these changes will work in practice. We’ll be urging the Government to make sure any changes to Small Brewers Relief maintain existing help for small brewers, support as many producers as possible and make sure consumers can continue to enjoy the widest possible choice of local and independent cask ales.” 

Lost Industry Tap

Posted on by Andy Cullen
An announcement has been made that Lesley and Mick of Lost Industry Brewing are leaving the Industry Tap bar in order to put their full focus on the brewery, which has been undergoing a significant refurbishment during lockdown whilst the pubs were shut! The good news is this doesn’t mean the closure of the Industry Tap – their partner in the bar, Darren, will continue to run it as his own independent business showcasing craft beers from a whole variety of different breweries including Lost Industry.

Find pub re-openings on whatpub.com

Posted on by Andy Cullen
With the government announcing that pubs can reopen if they wish from Saturday 4th July, subject to being set up to operate in a Covid-19 secure manner, our volunteers are busy updating CAMRA’s online pub guide whatpub.com with details of all the pubs we are aware of that are reopening soon and/or selling food and drink to take home. Pubs and bars won’t be the same when they first reopen and not all pubs will be reopening straight away. The government guidelines require 1 metre social distancing arrangements, table service, enhanced hygiene processes and more to ensure the safety of both staff and customers. This will mean you must have a table – no propping up the bar or standing around – and if no tables are free you will need to queue outside. Some pubs will require you to make a table reservation before going (don’t forget to cancel the reservation if you change your mind!). When planning to go to the pub with friends, don’t forget there are still Covid-19 restrictions in force about who you meet – indoors it is a maximum of two different households whilst outdoors it can be up to six. Many pubs have been making improvements to their outdoor drinking area ahead of reopening which may be something to look forward to seeing! Where possible we have included brief details on whatpub.com about how the pub will be operating when it reopens or alternatively a link to the pub’s social media or website to check the details before setting out. Note there are some pubs that have been doing take home sales and/or home delivery during lockdown and this is shown on whatpub.com, some may continue to offer these facilities going forward. The CAMRA Brew2You app and website will also continue to take orders for participating pubs, breweries and cider makers offering click and collect or home delivery. If you are a publican and details of your pub haven’t been updated on whatpub.com please use the “submit update” link on its page and fill the form in, we will try and get the update done as soon as possible. If you are a publican or brewer wishing to sign up to sell on Brew2You visit the website and follow the “become a partner” link. GETTING TO THE PUB Buses and trams are running to an amended timetable which you can find at https://travelsouthyorkshire.com/en-GB/LandingPage/service-changes. The government have made face coverings mandatory for passengers on public transport (if you don’t have a mask then a scarf will do, as long as your nose and mouth is covered). Don’t worry about bus drivers not wearing a mask – they are sat behind a perspex screen and will be able to concentrate on driving safely! Social distancing arrangements are in place on board (avoid using seats marked out of use) which has reduced capacity significantly so you are advised to travel at less busy times wherever possible. Evenings and Sundays are generally quiet. First and Stagecoach buses have set up their apps to show how busy a bus is expected to be whilst Supertram has a guide on their website. You are also asked to avoid paying for tickets by cash  if possible – First, Stagecoach and Powells take contactless card payment with online sales for daily and weekly passes also available. If you must pay by cash then exact change is now required. Taxis also continue to operate, note UBER are applying the same rule as public transport regarding face coverings.

Covid-19 – Grant Schemes

Posted on by Andy Cullen
In late May, Sheffield CAMRA wrote to local councils regarding the Government funded Small Business Grant Fund and the Retail and Hospitality Grant Scheme, encouraging them to try to ensure that this support reaches every pub and club possible to help make sure they are still there when we can visit again. We received a very positive response from Sheffield City Council: ‘if you are aware of any Pubs in Sheffield that might be eligible but have yet to submit details I would recommend that you urge them to do so. The grant funding is for eligible businesses in need of support and we want to make sure they get what they need.’ – Councillor Mazher Iqbal, Cabinet Member for Business & Investment Hence, we then emailed every pub/club in our branch area for whom we have an email address supplying them with a link to an exploratory letter located on our website. This email was sent on 31st.May. By the end of the day 82 recipients had followed up the link, a subsequent 178 following. We are very pleased with this level of response – many recipients would have already applied for the grant while, to others, it would be seen as a possible opportunity. We believe that a number of local pubs/clubs have received funding as a result of our urging. As of 23rd.June, in Sheffield, of an available £113,068,000, 7577 local businesses have claimed £90,050,000. On 17th.May, the number of successful applications was 6677. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-grant-funding-local-authority-payments-to-small-and-medium-businesses Dave Pickersgill