Half of UK pubs and restaurants may never reopen, says Hospitality Union founder

Boarded up: While many pubs are temporarily shut, an industry expert predicts many will remain closed forever
AFP via Getty Images
Ailis Brennan11 June 2020

At least half of the country’s pubs face never reopening again in the wake of the coronavirus crisis, says the founder of a collective working to save them.

Jonathan Downey, the London street food entrepreneur behind new campaign group Hospitality Union, has warned that the lockdown will have a “f***ing catastrophic” impact on the nations hospitality businesses.

"It's not even in question that 50 per cent of pubs, clubs, bars and restaurants won't reopen again," he said, speaking to Newsweek.

“In the last 20 years, 10,000 pubs and clubs have closed in the UK. In the next 20 weeks [and without huge changes], 10,000 more could shut forever.”

There are currently fewer than 40,000 pubs in the UK.

"Think about nightclubs, music venues, your night-time economy, real social life, not just eating and drinking, not just a couple of pints outside a pub or a bite at a decent restaurant. The proper night-time economy is absolutely f***ed," Downey continued. "I don't see any way around that apart from with a vaccine. The [profit] margins are so slim, businesses are no longer viable."

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Downey is best known for founding market concept Street Feast, which runs the likes of Dinerama in Shoreditch and Giant Robot in Canary Wharf. He added that his business “had no hope of reopening anytime this year.”

Hospitality Union was launched by Downey in March, on the same day as prime minister Boris Johnson advised the public to “… avoid pubs, clubs, theatres and other social venues,” prior to the official lockdown.

It is now made up of more than 3000 hospitality business owners, and has called for a #NationalTimeOut from the government to permit businesses a nine-month rent-free period.

Yesterday, the prime minister clarified that hospitality businesses would not be permitted to open prior to July 4, despite reports that ministers were keen to reopen some as early as June 22.

A spokesperson for Boris Johnson said that the government's roadmap "sets out our ambition to reopen open pubs, bars and cafes as soon as possible; but the date in the roadmap is from 4 July, subject to advice at the time.”

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