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Preparing for pubs return in Liverpool
City set for return of pub culture
By WILL RAYMENT
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The nation will say a collective ‘Cheers’ once pubs reopen after lockdown and Liverpool is getting ready to celebrate. Following the latest Government announcement, beer gardens will be able to open from April 12 and indoor facilities will be able to be used from May 17. Lockdown should be lifted for good in June, meaning large social gatherings can be hosted by the hospitality sector. Famous for its pubs, bars, live music and nightlife, Liverpool will be able to flaunt its unique city centre culture to the world once again. It contains a variety of venues, such as numerous Irish bars, the Cavern Club which once showcased the likes of The Beatles and even a prison that has been reimagined into a place to enjoy a pint. Dominic Hornsby, owner of the Liverpool One pub, The Bridewell, was delighted he could reopen his doors. “It’s been a massive relief and absolutely huge in terms of impact from a mental health point of view, because it’s been that long,” he said. “To actually have some final conformationthat’s raised clarity, to have a true date to work to, is fantastic.”
The Bridewell is an old Victorian lockup which uses five of its original cells to accommodate its guests and their drinks. The pub was nominated as pub of the year in the Liverpool City Region Tourism Awards in 2020 Mr Hornsby said: “The hospitality venues and their history give this city its unique identity. “There’s an attraction for outsiders whether they are domestic or foreign. Hopefully as everything drifts by, people are able to travel from different parts of the UK and they can come and experience the great pubs and bars in the city.” The general manager of city centre pub Shenanigans, Brigit Kullamaa said: “It’s very important that pubs reopen because it’s part of the culture. “It goes a lot further than just a pub because you do live music, your food is coming from local suppliers, you’re supporting the brewery, so it’s a whole network.” Shenanigans is a historic Irish bar situated in the heart of Liverpool and is known for having the best pint of Guinness in the city.
The hospitality industry was hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic, leaving many people across the country unemployed. There were 819,000 fewer workers on UK company payrolls in November than at the start of the pandemic, official figures show. According to the Office for National Statistics, hospitality was the worst-hit sector, accounting for a third of the job losses.
Speaking on the topic of mental health, The Bridewell owner said: “For us, and our full-time members of staff, we’ve had nothing to do. “In terms of your daily motivation our daily drive and our output of work is down to zero, so just to be able to come back to work, what we do for a living, it’s hard to measure how positive that is.” The lifting of the restrictions will also give people a place to regenerate mentally with friends and family. The Shenanigans general manager said: “We’re a lot more than a pub, we’re a family base so when people come in, they’ll have a chat. “It’s not only about alcohol and selling, it’s more of a community so I think for our customers and for ourselves it’s a big step that we can reopen. “I think it is very important that pubs are opening because they are places where people socialise, they relax and get away”
