4 in 10 pubs not confident of surviving a June lockdown
From a survey of over 500 pub owners undertaken by the Forum of Private Business (FPB), nearly 4 out of every 10 report that they are less than confident of surviving a June lockdown.
The survey of 560 pubs carried out on behalf of the FPB in the last two weeks of April indicates that less than 1 in 3 are at all confident of opening their doors again if the pub lockdown rules remain in place until the end of the year.
Despite the difficulties being faced by the pub sector, less than 20% report that they have so far been forced to make any redundancies, albeit that 86% are no longer paying full salaries.
Whilst only 1 in 5 have felt the need to apply for a Coronavirus Loan under the CBILS scheme, 2 out of 5 are still awaiting receipt of the £25,000 Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Fund payment.
Of those applying for a loan though less than 4% had been successful at the time of the survey.
Support from the PubCo’s remains disappointingly variable. Of the 560 respondents, more than 2/3rds were tied pub tenants. Yet more than 40% reported that they were still being asked to pay either partial or full rental despite being closed.
Commenting from the Forum of Private Business, managing director Ian Cass said, ‘95% of the respondents indicated that their, and their families’, stress levels have increased as a result of the present situation. The pub sector sits at the heart of our communities and the prospect of more than a third of them disappearing if the lockdown becomes anything like prolonged threatens an enormous impact. Much of the potential for survival lies in the hands of the PubCo’s, and whilst congratulating those who have deferred or cancelled rental payments, we would again call upon those who haven’t, to do so without delay.’