Devastated Burnley landlady worried latest Tier 3 restrictions could signal end of the industry she loves

Michelle Naylor, who runs the Craven Heifer in Harle Syke, said that in her 37 years working within the trade she had never encountered anything as tough or as unpredictable as the current Covid plight.

Tier 3 restrictions were confirmed for Burnley earlier today meaning pubs and restaurants will have to remain closed in town for at least the next two weeks.

Michelle told the Express not being able to trade in the run-up to Christmas was disastrous with many pubs and bars relying on the festive period to get them through January and February.

She said she was scared for her future, and felt completely helpless as decisions about her livelihood were made with scant regard for those hardest hit.

"Your future destiny is in the hands of people that don’t understand the trade and you have no control over it," she said. "The Government doesn’t understand you can’t just turn hospitality on and off. The industry needs solid guidelines and timeframes to work to.

"It’s not just the pubs, it’s the whole supply chain from your DJ, bands, to the man that delivers your gas to enable you to serve the beer.

"It’s millions of jobs at risk."

The first lockdown brought stress and strain to an industry already fighting to stave off last orders, but Michelle felt they were slowly getting back on track – until the second lockdown hit.

"After the first lockdown, trade was back to around 65% of pre-lockdown, which was good considering numbers were restricted and Covid guidelines were being followed," she said.

"I’d adapted our business plan to rule out July or August making a profit and hopefully break even September. Then comes the 10pm curfew, figures start to decline again. If you work at weekends, get home around 5pm, have your tea, etc; you're not then going to come out at 8pm to be thrown out at 10pm. And yet I’ve seen dozens of people having house parties.

"Then, bang, the first Tier 3. Having spent days trying to work out if it was viable to stay open I concluded it wasn’t cost effective.

"The government grants don’t cover the cost of being closed; we are 15% short on covering out overheads.

"The big companies aren’t helping. BT Sports are still charging 1% of your bill yet I can’t go downstairs and watch a football game as the service is suspended.

"The pub is my home but it’s a big old building to heat up. So to keep overheads down I am sat with jumpers and blankets to keep warm.

"Going in Tier 3 and not trading at the most important time of year is disastrous. We rely on Christmas to get us through January and February, the quiet months of the year. Without any addition help or being able to trade is going cause a lot of pubs to close.

"My fears are people now are getting used to staying in and it’s going to take a lot to get them to come out again. Habits like nipping the pub on the way home have been broken."

Michelle isn't just concerned for her own health and wellbeing, she is worried about the impact the closure is having on her regulars.

"People come for company, to forget their days stresses, and break up what can be a long lonely night sat on your own, especially at this time of year. I'm gutted, and feel I have let people down by not providing a much needed social environment.

"I have one man who has cancer, he goes to the doctors on Thursday to pick up blood and medication. I asked him why he comes into the pub every Thursday in his condition, and being vulnerable.

"He replied, 'It’s my little piece of normal life. I don’t have long left and while I can still do it I want to. I look forward to my walk, and coming sitting listening to the chatter'.

"I know I want to see this man again and it upsets me to think small pleasures have been taken away from people."

Michelle has still gone to the trouble of putting Christmas lights up in the pub window, to cheer people up on their way home from work.

Even that has brought issues.

"We put the lights up, but then we had the police sat outside thinking there were people in the pub. It honestly feel like we're like being hounded."

Respite could come come in the form of 'promotion' to Tier 2, but even that wouldn't guarantee a merry Christmas.

"The 14-day review period is ridiculous. We come out of lockdown on Dec 2nd, go into Tier 3, then it’s reviewed December 16th when we possibly might move to Tier 2.

"Businesses can’t staff up and stock up ready for Christmas then. Even Tier 2 is not viable at this time off year. So many families meet Christmas Day for a drink but they aren’t going to come out, because in Tier 2 they have to order food.

"A lot of people that work in hospitality live week-to-week. The fact you can’t claim the furlough until December for these people means they too are struggling to live and probably running up debts.

"Lots of our social clubs won’t open until we are in Tier 1 as they don’t serve food. We are going to see lots of clubs disappear.

"The 5% on VAT only benefits the big pub chains that serve food. Your small wet lead pubs, which are suffering the most, are still paying 20% VAT.

"I honestly can’t see many local pubs coming out of these restrictions."