Greater Manchester pubs to close under tier three restrictions

Licensees in the area will have to shut the doors from one minute past midnight on Friday (23 October) unless they are operating as a restaurant serving a ‘significant meal’, where they can only serve alcohol with this meal.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced the region would join Liverpool and Lancashire in the strictest part of the tiered system today (Tuesday 20 October). 

This followed many discussions between the Government and the city’s leaders, including mayor Andy Burnham, debating the level of support the region would receive.

Pubs in lockdown

There is now a total of 3,967 of England’s pubs in the ‘very high’ tier, according to figures from real estate adviser Altus Group.

The measures impact 1,031 pubs in the Liverpool City Region, 1,127 across Lancashire and now, 1,809 in Greater Manchester.

Altus Group head of property tax Robert Hayton said: “While pubs in England are currently receiving a £728.42m business rates holiday, £514.88m of grant support received during the national lockdown between March and July has now largely been spent.

“Pubs need a discerning targeted support package, not just accessible for those mandated to close, as well as given assurances the package will be in place for the foreseeable future.”

Funds available

The real estate adviser also estimated there was just £3.7m worth of cash grants is available for pubs and bars in the event of an enforced closures.

Pubs and bars with a rateable value of £15,000 or under will receive grants of £1,334 per month whilst those properties with a rateable value of over £15,000 and less than £51,000 will receive grants of £2,000 per month.

Larger pubs and bars, those with a rateable value of £51,000 or over, will receive grants of £3,000 per month.

Just £3,738,544 of grant support will be available for each month of the enforced closure across the region’s 10 council areas.