The company employs 41,000 staff and had reopened 861 of its pubs. Earlier this month, the Wetherspoons boss called for an end to the "mayhem" of lockdowns and tier restrictions as the company slumped to a £68m half-year loss. 'The reality is that pubs in Tier 3 will be physically shut from December 2 and pubs in Tier 2, if they open at all, will be trading as restaurants, not pubs. Even Wetherspoons announced a £105m annual loss last week. Sales were allowed during the first shutdown between March and July, but a spokesman for Wetherspoons said the company did not offer takeaways then and had no intention of selling them during this period. JD Wetherspoon has criticised "baffling and confusing" Covid-related restrictions for the pub industry after revealing a sharp fall in sales. But the company added: "The Scottish pubs, in particular, are subject to an extremely onerous tier system which, as has been widely reported, is having a serious effect on trade.". The outspoken pub chain chief told Sky News the restrictions will "cost Boris Johnson the next election". JD Wetherspoon has reported its first annual pre-tax loss since 1984 as it laid bare the impact of coronavirus restrictions on the pubs industry. What can I do now... and what comes next? Read about our approach to external linking. Under current lockdown rules, Wetherspoons said 756 pubs in England, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland were closed and it expected to burn through £14m in cash during the period. The pub group said Martin had written to prime minister Boris Johnson, copying in every MP, calling restrictions on trade “economically ruinous.” The vast majority of England’s pubs will fall in Tier 2, which leaves them only able to serve alcohol alongside food, and Tier 3, which means a shutdown other than takeaway provision. He said that 13 pubs in England will be in Tier 1, with 51 pubs in Wales operating with similar regulations. Wetherspoon's chairman Tim Martin railed against changes in rules to stop the spread of the coronavirus, which he said were "confusing". Wetherspoon said recently that up to 450 of its staff who work at pubs in airports were facing cuts as "sales are generally much lower and where a high percentage is closed". England – Pubs with a beer garden, roof-top garden and/or patio will open from Monday 12 April. Meanwhile, 435 of Mr Martin’s pubs will be in Tier 2. Officer who shot black man 'meant to deploy Taser'1, Royal brothers pay tribute to 'Grandpa' Philip2, Manhunt after 'execution' shooting in Paris3, Quick guide to Russia-Ukraine military tensions4, Will Smith film leaves Georgia over voting laws5, BBC 'gets 100,000 complaints' over Prince Philip6, France moves to ban short-haul domestic flights7, The Friends reunion has been filmed in Los Angeles8, 'World's biggest rabbit' stolen from garden9, The Sopranos star Joseph Siravo dies aged 6410. What happens to your body in extreme heat? However, the Rule of Six applies in outdoor areas, meaning you can go … "I think you should concentrate on the basics which is social distancing. The company will not be selling takeaway alcohol from any of its premises. Tier 2 pub serves bowls of Huel with drinks in order to 'hack' substantial meal rules READ MORE Under the terms of Prime Minister Boris Johnson's roadmap out of lockdown, restrictions on outdoor hospitality are set to be lifted no earlier than April 12th. JD Wetherspoon chains across the UK are preparing for a huge January sale, as many branches remain open. Punters descended on Derby city centre just hours before the Tier Two lockdown restrictions came into force. This means that Wetherspoons is able to stay open in Tier 3 areas. 'I miss my brother' George Floyd, court hears, Royal brothers pay tribute to 'Grandpa' Philip, Swiss cheese shows why Covid is so hard to stop, Quick guide to Russia-Ukraine military tensions, The anti-vax movement targeting German children, Saving the home of the 'Octopus Teacher' VideoSaving the home of the 'Octopus Teacher', Teenagers to taxi drivers: Myanmar's coup victims, 'We have similarities that we forget about', BBC Travel: A seafaring people with five genders, Covid accelerates India's millionaire exodus, How a small African territory has upset China. The new Alert Level announced by Government today will see Tier 3 restrictions being imposed on all residents in the Wakefield district. What are the rules when I go to the pub or a restaurant? under the new Tier 2 restrictions will only be allowed to serve alcohol if it is accompanied by 'a substantial meal'. Daunte Wright was fatally shot after an officer mistook her gun for a Taser, the police chief says. Daunte Wright was fatally shot after an officer mistook her gun for a Taser, the police chief says. Pubs and restaurants are claiming that marquees and tents count as outdoor space in a bid to get around Tier 2 and 3 restrictions. London and Essex will come under Tier 2 restrictions while Liverpool has already been placed under tougher Tier 3 rules. WETHERSPOONS boss Tim Martin has today blasted the 10pm curfew and masks in pubs. Pubs in Tier 2 can serve alcohol as long as it comes with an order of a "substantial meal", to try and limit boozing sessions with no food. Wetherspoons is selling real ales for just 99p in parts of England that are entering Tier 3 restrictions.. Health Secretary Matt Hancock yesterday announced that the whole of London will face the toughest coronavirus measures from Wednesday at 12am, along with areas in Essex and Hertfordshire.. Liverpool is under the toughest restrictions as it qualifies for the highest level of alert. The i … Read about our approach to external linking. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. The firm said like-for-like sales for the 15 weeks to 8 November fell 27.6%. The company said that since reopening, like-for-like sales at its pubs were 15% lower compared to last year: "With strong sales in the first few weeks, followed by a marked slowdown since the introduction of a curfew and other regulations.". The popular pub chain serves breakfast from 8am and before offering a full food menu from 11.30am. The new Covid restrictions in London could go on for “months and months and months” unless the government acts, Sadiq Khan is warning. In tier two areas you are not allowed to socialise indoors with anyone outside your household. Mr Martin told shareholders that 315 Wetherspoon pubs are in Tier 3 areas after the regional system was confirmed on Thursday, while 51 sites in Northern Ireland and Scotland will also remain closed. Tier 3 rules will now only apply to South Yorkshire until the national lockdown is imposed with West Yorkshire set to remain under Tier 2 rules following Saturday’s announcement. BASINGSTOKE'S Wetherspoon pubs will reopen next week, the chain has confirmed - but more than 300 of its venues will have to remain closed. London rules 'put 250,000 hospitality jobs at risk'. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. "Trade was improving and social distancing was working and infections were low," he said. Reopening FAQS - Coronavirus COVID-19 infection. It said 51 of its pubs were currently trading in Wales - where a lockdown has just ended, but pubs are subject to a 22:00 curfew - as well as 64 in Scotland. A JD Wetherspoon spokesman told the Mirror there is no "hard and fast" rule, saying it is up to individual landlords to draw up their own policies. The company confirmed on Friday that 108 head office staff have been made redundant. Mr Martin also said there was a "particular anxiety" in the sector over how long the regulations would last, citing rules that were introduced in World War One which remained in place for more than 70 years. Gym owner fined under tier 3 rules A spokesperson for Wetherspoons said: “Wetherspoon is opening its premises in Liverpool from 8am daily for breakfast, tea, coffee and soft drinks. Officer who shot black man 'meant to deploy Taser'1, Royal brothers pay tribute to 'Grandpa' Philip2, Manhunt after 'execution' shooting in Paris3, Quick guide to Russia-Ukraine military tensions4, Will Smith film leaves Georgia over voting laws5, BBC 'gets 100,000 complaints' over Prince Philip6, France moves to ban short-haul domestic flights7, The Friends reunion has been filmed in Los Angeles8, 'World's biggest rabbit' stolen from garden9, The Sopranos star Joseph Siravo dies aged 6410. It had previously made a profit in every year since being founded in 1984. © 2021 BBC. It revealed a £105.4m loss on sharply lower sales in the year to 26 July. Under current government guidance people must … On Thursday, we reported that … Speaking to the BBC's Today programme, Mr Martin said: “There's massive confusion in the UK now because you've got the ‘rule of six', Tier 2, Tier 3 – everyone's confused. UK Hospitality, which represents the industry, has warned that the new Tier 2 restrictions due to come into force in London and Essex could lead to 250,000 people losing their jobs unless firms are given additional financial support. "But the requirement for afternoon closing was only abolished in 1986.". 'I miss my brother' George Floyd, court hears, Royal brothers pay tribute to 'Grandpa' Philip, Swiss cheese shows why Covid is so hard to stop, Quick guide to Russia-Ukraine military tensions, The anti-vax movement targeting German children, Saving the home of the 'Octopus Teacher' VideoSaving the home of the 'Octopus Teacher', Teenagers to taxi drivers: Myanmar's coup victims, 'We have similarities that we forget about', BBC Travel: A seafaring people with five genders, Covid accelerates India's millionaire exodus, How a small African territory has upset China. Speaking to the BBC's Today programme, Mr Martin said: "There's massive confusion in the UK now because you've got the 'rule of six', Tier 2, Tier 3 - everyone's confused. Read about our approach to external linking. If you don't get too close to someone you won't get infected, that works better.". Saving the home of the 'Octopus Teacher' Video, Manhunt after 'execution' shooting in Paris, Will Smith film leaves Georgia over voting laws, BBC 'gets 100,000 complaints' over Prince Philip, France moves to ban short-haul domestic flights, The Friends reunion has been filmed in Los Angeles, 'World's biggest rabbit' stolen from garden, The Sopranos star Joseph Siravo dies aged 64, Covid: The new lockdown rules for England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, Covid in Scotland: New pub rules 'like trying to learn Mandarin', Half in, half out: Lockdown on the Anglo-Welsh border. London and Essex will come under Tier 2 restrictions while Liverpool has already been placed under tougher Tier 3 rules. Wetherspoon's full-year results - which cover the first weeks after pubs were allowed to reopen on 4 July - also revealed that sales dropped by 30.6% to £1.2bn. An amateur football team has hit back at Wetherspoons staff for reporting them to police for breaking Tier 2 Covid rules after ‘taking their money and letting them drink outside’. Josh Robertson, 26, said he was among the players fined for gathering at The Wouldhave in South Shields after a … Wetherspoons said sales in October "were significantly lower than the previous months, following the imposition of a number of new restrictions, including changes in the tier … From Saturday, households in London will not be allowed to mix indoors, including in pubs and restaurants. The chain, which operates pubs in Arnold and Carlton, has produced a 23 page online edition of Wetherspoon News attacking new measures Wetherspoons boss blasts government over ‘serious pandemic response flaws’ after pubs get hit with tougher new tier restrictions "But what's happened under emergency powers, the government is making a lot of changes which we think in the industry are arbitrary [and] don't work, like the curfew and that's making life almost impossible.". All pubs are open in Tier 2 of the Covid-19 restrictions, including Plymouth and Devon, but customers must order a “substantial meal” if they want to have a drink. The loss after exceptional items is a sharp reversal from the £95.4m pre-tax profit reported in the previous year. Earlier this week, Marston's, the pubs and brewery group, said up to 2,150 furloughed staff were at risk of losing their jobs. During that time, 66 Wetherspoon's staff across 50 pubs tested positive for coronavirus. "The entire regulatory situation is a complete muddle," he said. The pub chain is offering the discount booze from now until 10pm this evening, December 15. Saving the home of the 'Octopus Teacher' Video, Manhunt after 'execution' shooting in Paris, Will Smith film leaves Georgia over voting laws, BBC 'gets 100,000 complaints' over Prince Philip, France moves to ban short-haul domestic flights, The Friends reunion has been filmed in Los Angeles, 'World's biggest rabbit' stolen from garden, The Sopranos star Joseph Siravo dies aged 64. Chairman Tim Martin said rule changes such as the 22:00 curfew, as well as different areas of the UK "moving from one tier to another", left the industry and customers perplexed. "Veterans of the industry will recall that the afternoon closing of pubs between about 3pm and 6pm was imposed in the First World War, to encourage munitions workers to return to their factories," he said. In Tier 2 restrictions include a ban on households mixing indoors, while pubs and restaurants will only be able to sell alcohol with a "substantial meal". Mr Martin said that although the safety measures introduced to allow reopening were tough on pubs "because it reduced capacity dramatically", the industry was "gradually getting used to it". The hospitality industry has been hit hard by the pandemic. But Wetherspoons might be an exemption and allowed to keep pulling pints. © 2021 BBC. Takeaway beer sales 'will make a difference', Officer who shot black man 'meant to deploy Taser'. Officer who shot black man 'meant to deploy Taser'. The entire Wakefield district, along with the rest of West Yorkshire, will be placed into Tier 3 (very high alert) restrictions from midnight on Wednesday 2 December following the end of national restrictions. These pubs will be open 9am–9pm (Sunday–Thursday) and 9am–10pm (Friday and Saturday), although some have restrictions on closing times; in … Tier 3 measures mean a ban on households mixing, except in limited circumstances such as in parks. The hospitality industry has been one of the worst hit sectors during the pandemic. UK Hospitality has warned that the new Tier 2 restrictions due to come into force in London and Essex could lead to 250,000 people losing thor jobs unless firms are given more financial support. Mr Johnson imposed brutal Tier 2 and 3 rules on 99 per cent of England on Thursday, the higher category bans all hospitality business, while the other permits pubs to … What happens to your body in extreme heat? For Wetherspoon, Tier 2 affects 435 pubs. Martin said the Tier 3 restrictions were too difficult to implement, meaning Wetherspoon pubs in these areas will remain shut. Wetherspoons said around £5.9 million in food and drink had to be thrown away, while £6.2 million was spent on PPE, screens, and other equipment to make pubs Covid-secure. Wetherspoons said sales in October "were significantly lower than the previous months, following the imposition of a number of new restrictions, including changes in the tier categories [and] a 10pm curfew". 366 of Wetherspoon’s 873 pubs are in Tier 3 areas. Read about our approach to external linking. Tier 2 restrictions due to come into force in London and Essex could lead to 250,000 That is because pubs that serve food will be allowed to remain open in Merseyside - the only area in England currently in Tier 3. Earlier this month, the government initially banned the sale of alcohol from pubs in England under the new rules for a second lockdown, but soon changed the restriction. 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