Reopening UK Pubs With Social Distancing Restrictions Presents Problems

As the UK begins to consider how to reopen and operate businesses in a post COVID-19 world, the country’s chief medical officer has stated that social distancing rules will need to be enforced in pubs throughout 2020.

And we’re not the only ones thinking that social distancing in a pub or bar will prove damn near impossible…

Here’s the deal…

The UK’s Chief Medical Officer Prof Chris Whitty has generated no small amount of controversy over comments that social distancing behavior needs to remain in place as businesses reopen this year.

Whitty said there is an “incredibly small” chance of a vaccine for coronavirus being ready at any point during 2020 and things won’t be returning to normal in the United Kingdom for a while…

“We are going to have to do a lot of things for really quite a long period of time. The question is, what is the best package, and this is what we’re trying to work out.”

But it’s the British Beer & Pub Association (BBPA)  position that social distancing as the ‘new normal’ in pubs, is going to be a problem…

This from Emma McClarkin, Chief Executive of the BBPA…

“Pubs are the original social network, so re-opening them with social distancing restrictions is going to be extremely difficult, both for staff and customers alike.

“It’s clear that the government are going to need to give pubs special consideration for a restart, as well as specific support just for them.

 “Further extension of the grant support from government for pubs, including the 10,000 pubs above the threshold for such support at present, will also be needed. Pubs will be lost if such measures are not taken, and will help the trade whilst it slowly recovers.”

 “We need these measures put in place now, to ensure that pubs can survive and be ready to re-open when safe to do so, and then help as they slowly recover.

“Trade will not immediately return to the level it was before the Covid-19 crisis hit when pubs re-open. Upon re-opening, trade could be down by as much as half what it was before. It will inevitably take time for consumer confidence to build. Social distancing restrictions in pubs will inevitably have a direct effect on footfall in pubs.”

It’s clear that as bars and restaurants reopen in coronavirus recovery mode, world governments will weigh in urging that social distancing measures be taken…But is that realistic even in the short term?

We think not.

Bars and pubs are social centers built around the collective mood enhancement that comes with drinking together.

They address a very real societal need and that isn’t going to change…pandemic or not.

Nor should any society expect it to.

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H/T to the excellent Beer Today for its lead on this…