45,000 pubs expected to reopen for indoor service

14-May-2021 - Last updated on 14-May-2021 at 11:50 GMT

Drinks poured: some 3m pints of beer are expected to be served on the first day pubs can reopen inside (image: Getty/Wasan Tita)

Some 45,000 pubs are estimated to reopen to trade inside from Monday 17 May, serving 3m pints, leaving 2,000 unable to open their doors due to limited space, one trade body has predicted.

As a result of the restrictions in place amid reopening, beer sales for Monday will be at 65% – 1.6m fewer pints than pre-Covid Monday trade – the British Beer & Pub Association (BBPA) has said.

The trade association also stated this was below the break-even point for most pubs, as they are unable to trade profitably with restrictions such as table service and social distancing in place.

Alongside reduced footfall in city centre and town pubs, venues reliant on standing or vertical drinking due to small footprints will be particularly impacted by the table service rule due to limited space.

Pubs in preparation

As a result, the BBPA worked out 2,000 pubs – 5% of all pubs in the UK – will still remain closed despite indoor reopening being permitted.

It is calling on the Government to commit to the Monday 21 June date to lift all restrictions, including taking away social distancing and allowed vertical drinking and bar service again.

BBPA chief executive Emma McClarkin said: “After some questionable weather during the past week or so, we know Brits are looking forward to being back inside the pub once more.

“Our pubs have been preparing for this Monday over the past couple of months. We expect 45,000 pubs to open across the UK and 3m pints to be served on Monday alone."

Limited sales

McClarkin added: “However, that is 1.6m pints fewer than what they would have sold on a typical Monday before the pandemic.

“This is because 2,000 pubs will still pubs still remain closed and pubs that do open are limited in their sales by table service and no standing drinking.

“This is by no means the end of the crisis for our sector. We need pubs fully reopened without any restrictions at all on Monday 21 June if they are to survive and trade viably.

“The countdown to freedom, and recovery, is on.”