A pub forced to shut down under Tier 3 rules has issued a desperate plea to Boris Johnson.
The Red Lion in Sturmer, Essex - which is within walking distance of Haverhill, Suffolk in Tier 2 - was one of the thousands of pubs that closed their doors today.
It comes as London, most of Essex and parts of Hertfordshire are swept into the tightest coronavirus restrictions.
Landlord Simon Bierton, 39, has now pleaded with the Prime Minister to give more clarity on the government's Covid strategy.
He accused Boris Johnson of "dangling a carrot" in front of pub owners while failing to give a solid route out of future lockdowns.
"There needs to be some sort of game plan for businesses," said Simon, who has run the pub near Haverhill with his partner Emma since 2014.
"It's no good Boris saying we need to follow the rules because everyone has done that.
"Pubs have been following the rules and we're still in the same position nine months down the road.
"There needs to be some clarity.
"Give us something to work with instead of dangling a carrot in front of us."
Simon said the pub's proximity to Suffolk - which is still in Tier 2 and less than a mile away - made the news even harder to take.
"You could throw a stone into Suffolk when you come out of the pub. That feels like hard luck," he said.
Under Tier 3, pubs can only open for takeaways, while in Tier 2 they can seat customers from the same household indoors for 'substantial meals' and drinks.
Simon said the forced closure was "financially devastating" for the pub and its nine staff members.
"We have to throw away stock and deal with staff. It's a cost to close and reopen," he said.
"It's a cost to try to second guess the government. It's money thrown away unnecessarily."
Simon also insisted that pubs were safe places for customers.
"We have a lot of customers who are vulnerable, and they haven't stopped coming because they feel safe, and they recognise we are doing the best we can to protect them," he said.
"A lot of them want refuge from day to day life. You go [to the pub] to unwind or socialise.
"Villages aren't what they used to be in that people used to go religiously, but there's still a community spirit."
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The pub is operating a takeaway service until the end of this week before fully closing.
Simon said the biggest "kick in the teeth" was not being able to serve customers over the Christmas period.
"Like any hospitality business, this time of year is the time to make hay, so to speak," he said.
"It's the hard work over reward. It's the long days of Christmas that let you kick back in January."
The landlord said he expects the Tier 3 rules to remain in place for at least a month, though he's confident the business can pull through.
"The [government] grants have helped to kick the can down the road and our rent's been reduced significantly," he said.
"These things have helped us keep going."
https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMiWmh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmNhbWJyaWRnZS1uZXdzLmNvLnVrL25ld3MvbG9jYWwtbmV3cy9jb3ZpZC10aWVyLXJ1bGVzLWRldmFzdGF0ZWQtdGllci0xOTQ2OTIxMtIBXmh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmNhbWJyaWRnZS1uZXdzLmNvLnVrL25ld3MvbG9jYWwtbmV3cy9jb3ZpZC10aWVyLXJ1bGVzLWRldmFzdGF0ZWQtdGllci0xOTQ2OTIxMi5hbXA?oc=5
2020-12-16 17:22:00Z
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