Heavy snow hits pubs across country

Heavy snow and arctic temperatures have hit hundreds of pubs across North Yorkshire, the North East and Scotland with scores of remote country inns forced to close their doors.

Licensees in other parts of the country are bracing themselves for more disruption later this week with forecasts of more snow and temperatures set to dip to as low a minus 20 as the bad weather threatens to move south.

Licensee David Hawksworth, who runs the Fox & Hounds at Bullamoor near Northallerton, North Yorkshire, said his trade had been decimated.

"We were £4,500 down last week and Sunday was a near write of with business 70% down.

"We have closed the pub today (Mon) because most of the roads are impassable.

"We had a 60th birthday party on Friday in our new marquee and it was a major job keeping everyone warm," he said.

Richard Slade, who runs the Battlesteads, Wark-on-Tyne, Northumberland, said he had remained open but was hit by about 30 cancelled bookings for meals and overnight accommodation over the past few days.

"We are a destination venue and people just do not want to risk coming out," he said.

Tyne & Wear was another area badly hit with the conditions spelling a bleak trading weekend for many pubs.

Licensee Neil Henry, of the Poachers Cottage, Callerton near Newcastle-on-Tyne spent most of today digging out although few customers were expected to visit the pub.

Barry Rose, who runs the Magic Lantern in North Shields, said the weather had killed business.

"The roads are still open but nobody is coming out. A few customers who did venture out found their cars stuck on the car park and we had to dig them out.

"There was about 12 inches of snow over the weekend we fear there may be worse to come," he said.

• Have you been hit by snow? Send us your pictures and stories to Ewan.Turney@william-reed.co.uk​. ​