Frank Maguire from London-based Truman’s brewery, told The Sun on Monday that he thinks that it is "unlikely" that pubs will be back up and running again as normal before Christmas.
"I expect pubs won’t reopen before July – and only once scientists advise the Government it is safe to do so. I don’t envisage normal levels of trade returning until the end of the year. We (pubs and breweries) were the first to be hit by the lockdown and we’ll be the last to reopen, which is completely understandable", he said, clarifying his comments to the Metro.
He continued, saying that if pubs were to remain closed until December, it would be ‘dire’ for the industry if they do not receive government support.
"I think we all want them back sooner than that", Frank said.
Cabinet secretary Michael Gove this weekend said the hospitality industry will be subject to social distancing measures for a longer period than others in a bid to prevent a second wave of the virus hitting Britons later this year.
"Areas of hospitality will be among the last to exit the lockdown – yes, that is true, they will be among the last", Gove.
The Chancellor of the Duchy also dismissed rumours that there was a secret plan by the government to begin lifting the national lockdown.
Concerns of the ongoing venue closure come as the economy begins to feel the coronavirus pressure.
Research released on Saturday by the Institute for Social and Economic Research (ISER) at the University of Essex revealed that the UK could a quarter of total jobs lost, with the "accommodation and food services" being the most seriously affected.
"Estimates produced by the Institute for Social and Economic Research (ISER) at the University of Essex (@iseressex) suggest the lockdown can take more than 6.5m jobs out of the economy -around a quarter of the total."https://t.co/eXMwMPpSnz pic.twitter.com/R9eYGBGR0u
— Jamal Jafri (@JAJafri) April 19, 2020
As the news coincides with predictions of an oncoming global economic crash, it is possible that at a time when Brits might be pining for a drink, they won't be able to have one.
