Great British Baking Show's Candice Brown Is 'Devastated' About This English Pub's Status
Candice Brown, cookbook author and former contestant on "The Great British Baking Show", has shared some unfortunate news about The Green Man, the pub in the village of Eversholt she co-owns with her brother, Ben. The pub was intended to be a community space that welcomed guests for a pint and some delicious food. But as The Green Man recently tweeted, the pub is now closed till August 1. Although the specific reasoning for extending their closure was not given, the tweet did mention that "it is our duty to protect not only our staff but also you as our customers."
On her personal Twitter account, Brown quoted that tweet and shared, "The reality of this situation. What now??? Off the back of being shut almost a year we now cannot open for 10 days. What now???? #hospitalityindustry #wheresthesupport." The frustration from her comment seems clear.
The plight of the restaurant industry during the COVID-19 pandemic has been well-documented. While no one wants to put staff or guests at risk, closed doors are financially devastating for restaurant owners. Throughout the pandemic, the rules surrounding COVID protocols and procedures change frequently, which can be frustrating for restaurant owners to navigate. Although the tweets do not specifically state that the pub is closed due to COVID protocols, the hashtags seem to imply it. While many hope that The Green Man will welcome guests back soon, the longer it sits closed, the more difficult that situation may become.
How is the pandemic impacting the British hospitality industry?
A recent Eater London article reveals that new rules about isolating upon COVID-19 exposure has some restaurants struggling to remain open. While no one would ever want to put staff or guests at risk, the changing rules have some people worried for the future of the restaurant industry. According to the article, restaurant industry workers who have been vaccinated are not currently exempt to the close contact 10-day self-isolation requirement. While some food industry critical workers have been given an exemption, others in the restaurant industry will not be included until August 18.
As Eater writes, "The combination of enforced closures due to self-isolation and a general decline in the numbers of staff available is putting restaurants under severe pressure just as 'reopening' is supposed to be kicking in." Even though many people want to see a revitalization of the hospitality industry, the road will be a long one. Another Eater London piece found that "revenue across hospitality (as defined by the ONS) remained 25 percent down in May 2021, year-on-year."
While people do not necessarily debate the safety of these "test, trace, and isolate rules," they are putting many potholes into the restaurant industry's road to recovery. Unfortunately, some tables may remain empty far longer than anyone would like to see.