Pubs and restaurants invest thousands ahead of reopening

Pubs and restaurants are heavily investing in protective equipment ahead of reopening next month but many say they will barely break even once they’re up and running because of social distancing measures.

Protective screens, new restaurant layouts and QR code menus are some of the measures being put in place to keep staff and customers safe.

Speaking to The Yorkshire Post, business owners in Leeds said they were optimistic about reopening but some added that current restrictions are unsustainable in the long term.

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Martin Wolstencroft, chief executive of Leeds-based Arc Inspirations, who operates three brands - Banyan Bar & Kitchen, BOX and Manahatta - across 17 venues in the North, said he had spent £60,000 across all sites on new health and safety measures ahead of reopening next month.

Martin Wolstencroft, chief executive of Arc Inspirations. Picture: James Hardisty.Martin Wolstencroft, chief executive of Arc Inspirations. Picture: James Hardisty.
Martin Wolstencroft, chief executive of Arc Inspirations. Picture: James Hardisty.

Meanwhile, Seema Dhiman, owner of sports bar The Brotherhood, said she had invested £12,000 across two bars in Leeds and Manchester.

Mr Wolstencroft said: “We have battened down the hatches and managed costs and cash flow very tightly to ensure we can get through this to fight another day. Team morale and support has been fantastic.”

Capacity will be drastically reduced across all venues. Mr Wolstencroft said his bars would operate at 50 per cent of their usual capacity, while Ms Dhiman said The Brotherhood would have room for 100 customers, less than a third of its 350 capacity pre-lockdown.

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She added that within a couple of hours of the Prime Minister’s announcement, the bar was almost fully booked for July 4.

“We do have big numbers to hit and very much an uphill battle, but we are confident with the measures we have put in place and recognised the we have to change our service model. Its very important that we do adapt and change,” she said.

Venues with more outside space are able to be a bit more creative. The Ring O Bells pub in Shipley is converting part of its car park into a beer garden to increase capacity.

Rudy’s pizzaria, which has five sites and opened it’s first Yorkshire restaurant in Leeds just before lockdown, reopened for collection and delivery a few weeks ago. It also launched a bake at home pizza which it said has proven popular after it sent out 2,800 pizzas across the UK last week.

It is now preparing to open for dining guests on July 4.

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Managing director Neal Bates said: “We’ll be ready to look after as many guests as possible but the million dollar question is how many people will be back on the streets and in the city shopping and working? This will determine how busy we are.”

Mr Bates said he believed the health and safety measures they had put in place were sustainable for the long term.

However, the bar and pub owners are not so sure. “We need to get back to no distancing measures so we can get back up to 100 per cent by Christmas,” Mr Wolstencroft said.

Kara Woodhouse-Kent, owner of the Ring O Bells, said: “I don’t know if we can be profitable. At the moment we’re relying on our outside space but if the restrictions stay during the winter, it’s going to be very difficult.

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Ms Dhiman said: “I think some of the measures we have put in place, like the QR codes, ordering, paying for food and drinks from your smart phone and bringing drinks to the guests will stay, I think guests will like it.”

She added: “However we will want to be able to work to capacity in time, certainly when it is safe to do so. As we will only just break even if we are lucky with the new capacities.”

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