The hospitality industry is losing £100m per week due to the extension of lockdown restrictions, a leading pub expert has said.
Emma McClarkin, from the British Beer and Pub Association, told the Great British Breakfast that the delay was hitting pubs and bars hard.
She said: "It's been a devastating year for beer and pub sector and this is just another blow when they're supposed to be building up into recovery.
"Pubs and hospitality, revenue is down two-thirds and our brewers, sales are down 70%. This is a very fragile moment and every single week is going to cost them more.
"We've worked out that every week, £100m a week will be lost due to this delay."
MPs have approved the extension of coronavirus restrictions in England until July 19, although Boris Johnson suffered a major rebellion from members of his own party over the delay.
Chains secure the doors of a closed Fuller's pub in London, during England's third national lockdown to curb the spread of coronavirus. Picture date: Thursday January 28, 2021.
Dominic Lipinski
The Prime Minister was spared a defeat as Labour backed plans for a four-week delay to the end of lockdown measures, aimed at buying more time for the vaccine programme. MPs voted 461 to 60, a majority of 401, on Wednesday to approve regulations delaying the easing of the measures.
But 49 Conservative MPs rebelled by opposing the regulations, two acted as tellers for the noes to enable the vote while former ministers Dr Liam Fox and Dr Andrew Murrison spoke in the debate but did not vote.
For now, limits on numbers for sports events, theatres and cinemas will remain in place, nightclubs will stay shuttered and people will be asked to continue working from home where possible.
It comes after furious Tories rounded on Mr Johnson, Health Secretary Matt Hancock and the Government’s scientific advisers over the extension of Covid restrictions in England. They cast doubt on the Prime Minister’s commitment that July 19 would be a “terminus” date for the lockdown after he was forced to postpone easing restrictions on June 21.
Mr Johnson insisted he did not want to see Covid restrictions last forever but “a little more time” was needed to vaccinate millions more people to help combat the spread of the Delta variant.
