I am so pleased, and so excited that the hospitality industry has been given the green light to open. It’s been extremely tough for them over lockdown, and it will continue to be tough for months to come I’m sure. This is brilliant news for an industry I love, and have worked in for many years, which is facing immeasurable struggles following three months of zero income.
However, I’m terrified that once again our government shows an absolute lack of knowledge or understanding. This time of how people behave, and how our industry works. In over 20 years working in and around pubs, I have NEVER known an opening to take place on a weekend?! Most have a soft opening, midweek, when it is quieter so that staff can bed in while it’s quiet. This gives them time to learn the new systems and find their feet when it’s not too busy. People can be impatient, and unforgiving when things aren’t as they expect. It’s understandable, they are paying for a service after all, it should be right! Opening when it’s quieter gives the opportunity to identify potential issues and solve them before it’s busy and they cause a pinch point and potentially upset punters. To be clear, the re-opening of venues implementing brand new safety measures from a 40 page document is going to face even more challenges than a new site opening, why should it be treated any other way?
Pubs & restaurants, are all desperate for cash flow. I understand some will decide to open as soon as they are allowed, but I fear people are going to swarm to pubs, overwhelming the staff who are still getting to grips with operating rules, while trying to enforce social distancing. SURELY it would be safer if re-opening happened mid week when it is likely to be quieter giving staff, and customers, time to get used to new measures as they would with any other normal opening.
My wife Sarah has referenced this quote from Men in Black several times during this pandemic. “A person is smart, people are dumb.” Agent K. It couldn’t be more relevant.
If you’re a venue opening on the 4th, I wish you luck, stay safe. If you’re a customer planning on visiting a venue on the 4th, please be respectful and understanding. Those rules aren’t the server’s fault, or even the managers or owners, they’re there for all of our benefit.
I will find my own way to support pubs and I will return to them. Hopefully very soon. However, it won’t be on the 4th July. I’ll be waiting until the general public have re-learnt how to behave, and pub staff have had time to get to grips with everything. My thoughts really are with the venues that open on the 4th, and especially those staff. See you soon folks 😘🍻
Bite & Bottle 
I don’t have a pub now but did for over 20 years – what a relief that I’m not in the position to HAVE to be making this decision now – but I certainly would not be opening on 4 July. Everything about it is irresponsible. The government has managed this badly and is becoming more delinquent all the time. I know hundreds of publicans – many are not opening . Many are walking away from their businesses – some who’ve had pubs for decades. Some others are raring to get open again and appear to be at the end of the wedge that is ‘it’s a hoax’.
The UK is in a terrible, entirely avoidable entirely predictable mess of a train wreck. It’s very unpleasant watching the damage happening in real time slow motion.
Sorry – I posted without finishing
I meant to say
Thanks for the thoughtful article. I don’t have a pub now but did for over 20 years – what a relief that I’m not in the position to HAVE to be making this decision now – but I certainly would not be opening on 4 July. Everything about it is irresponsible. The government has managed this badly and is becoming more delinquent all the time. I know hundreds of publicans – many are not opening . Many are walking away from their businesses – some who’ve had pubs for decades. Some others are raring to get open again and appear to be at the end of the wedge that is ‘it’s a hoax’.
The UK is in a terrible, entirely avoidable entirely predictable mess of a train wreck. It’s very unpleasant watching the damage happening in real time slow motion.