Oxfordshire is home to 25 breweries which have been left out in the cold as they do not qualify for cash grants. While pubs endure a third lockdown, breweries are facing an even tougher situation because, with pubs and restaurants closed, there is no one to sell their beer to. Although they could still apply for discretionary grants, because they have not been forced to close, they cannot apply for the same cash grants as pubs. Most breweries have seen sales drop by an average of 80 per cent and have either stopped production or scaled it right back. Dave Richardson from Oxford Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) said: “They haven’t been ordered to close, but of course their main market has been severely diluted or even dried up, so a lot of them are in quite a difficult situation.”
Pubs across Oxfordshire are struggling but many rural pubs have found a way to keep their businesses surviving. Many landlords feel the one-off ‘top-up’ grants for closed businesses is not enough and have turned to takeaways and one bar has even transformed into an off-licence. Dave Richardson from Oxford Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) said: “It seems what is given with one hand is taken away with the other. Any kind of cash grant is welcome obviously. The bigger pubs will probably be able to get through till spring without too much extra pain, but the smaller ones with less rateable value will get a few thousand pounds in grants, but this will not even make up for the Christmas trade they lost.”
Many feel the one-off ‘top-up’ grants from Government for closed businesses are not enough. Some have turned to takeaways, and one county bar has even transformed into an off-licence. Dave Richardson from Oxford Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) said: “It seems what is given with one hand is taken away with the other. Any kind of cash grant is welcome, obviously, and the bigger pubs will probably be able to get through til spring without too much extra pain, but the smaller ones with less rateable value will get a few thousand pounds in grants, and this will not even make up for the Christmas trade they lost.”
As the UK enters a third national lockdown pubs have been forced to close again and this time there is a ban on selling takeaway pints. Since entering Tier 4 pubs in Oxford have been forced to close and although the Government’s one-off ‘top-up’ grants for closed businesses has helped pubs, there are concerns the money will not be enough. Many are worried that if pubs remain closed into March or even April, that the sums per week will be completely inadequate to stop hardship and closures. Dave Richardson from Oxford Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) said: “It seems what is given with one hand is taken away with the other. Any kind of cash grant is welcome obviously. The bigger pubs will probably be able to get through till spring without too much extra pain, but the smaller ones with less rateable value will get a few thousand pounds in grants, but this will not even make up for the Christmas trade they lost.”