Welsh pubs and bars hit 'far worse than in England

 

Welsh businesses fear they could miss out to England if people travel over the border to celebrate New Year due to Covid rules.

Nightclubs have closed and limits on who can meet have been introduced in Wales, but in England, there are no plans to tighten restrictions.

UK Hospitality said Welsh business had been hit significantly worse than those in England.

The Welsh government said the rules were in place to keep people safe.

Thousands of journeys are made across the 160-mile border between Wales and England every day, but through large parts of the pandemic, the rules on either side have been very different.

Now some pubs and cafes close to the border have told BBC Wales they fear they will miss out on trade to rivals less than a mile away in England many business listings.

Jess Hope-Evans says the differing rules in Wales and England are an "ongoing problem"

"The difference in rules between countries is an ongoing problem," said Jess Hope-Jones, who owns an ice cream parlor in Hay-on-Wye, which sits on the Powys side of the border.

"We struggle because we are so close to the border, that it's confusing. One thing that's happened to us all the way through the pandemic has to explain, "You're in Wales now".'

While she can keep the parlor open, she said restrictions on numbers had created bottlenecks, while leaving doors and windows open made trading during the winter difficult.

"People are fed up with the restrictions and the fact you don't have to wear masks and all of these things two miles away," she added business listings.

Wales moved to alert level two on 26 December following a rapid rise in Covid case numbers, with the first minister saying early action was needed to control the spread of Omicron.

Groups of no more than six people are allowed to meet in pubs, cinemas, and restaurants in Wales and nightclubs have been forced to close.

Under the rules licensed premises have to offer table service only, face masks have to be worn when customers are not seated, and contact tracing details collected.

In contrast, pub, bar, and club owners in England have said they have been offered a "lifeline" after UK Environment Secretary George Eustice said evidence on Covid cases and admissions did not support more interventions at the moment.

Mark Finlay, operations manager for the Fat Boar Group, which owns pubs and restaurants in Wareham and Flint shire, said he wanted to see the evidence behind the Welsh government's latest restrictions.

The Welsh government's Technical Advisory Cell (TAC) regularly publishes guidance, but it has not been publicly updated since 10 December.

Mr Finlay said he knew some regular customers would be heading to nearby Chester - in England - to celebrate New Year's Eve free business listings.

"Customers are coming in but don't really know what they can and can't do," he said.

"At least we are open now as opposed to last year and we are still quite busy [but] we are getting a lot of cancellations.

"New Year will be the real test. There have been a couple of comments from customers who say they will come here for a meal and then make their way to Chester to celebrate properly - in their words. So the new year countdown will be more sedate."

'They will hop on a bus’s

Chris Evans, chairman of Saith Seren pub in Wrexham, said it was "bizarre" that Wrexham football supporters could not support their team at home games - but could at away games.

"People naturally will hop on a bus from Wrexham and be in Chester in half an hour, so that's what they are going to do on New Year's Eve," he said.