Covid restrictions: 'It should be the same rules in every country'

Covid restrictions should be the same in every nation, says a landlord whose pub straddles the border between England and Wales.

Paul Slater took over the Trotting Mare Inn in Knolton just weeks before the first lockdown in 2020 and said "nothing has been straightforward".

The pub itself is in Wrexham County, north Wales, so will face new restrictions from 26 December. Its car park is in Shropshire, England.

Being on the border highlights confusion when rules are brought in, he said.

"With me being on the border... customers come in and they don't understand that we are in Wales and it is a different law to England so I think it would add to the clarity if the nations all came together and did the same thing," he said.

From Boxing Day, groups of no more than six people will be allowed to meet in pubs, cinemas and restaurants in Wales, with pubs to offer table service only and collect contact tracing details.

It comes after the number of identified Omicron cases in Wales grew by 204 on Tuesday to 640.

A planned New Year's Eve Party at the Trotting Mare Inn has been cancelled and arrangements for a 60th birthday party for Boxing Day have had to be changed.

People have suggested setting up a marquee in the car park to make the most of English rules, but that is not possible due to the positioning of the car access, Mr Slater said.

Pubs, he said, rely on takings from December to help them through the quieter months of January and February but, without that cushion or any financial support, many may have to "look at closing for an amount of time or limiting their hours".

"The pubs aren't getting enough notice with all these changes, they could change again next week," he said,

"We just want clarification really of what is going on almost long term, I know the politicians and scientists don't know long term but it would just be nice to have a little bit more notice of what is going on because it could change again in a couple of days."

Mark Jones, at the Stanton House Inn, Chirk, in Wrexham, has just recovered from Covid-19 and said after having the virus he can understand restrictions coming in.

But the move will "hinder" the business which is half a mile from the border with England, he said, and added having differing restrictions in businesses just minutes away has an impact on trade.

"It has been very quiet in the build up to Christmas, the government is telling people not to mix and they are listening but trade-wise it is just like ordinary days, I can't believe it is Christmas on Saturday," he said.

"It is as bad as last year when we were shut down but now we're not getting the grants."

Having to police the new restrictions also creates problems for the business at a time when they are understaffed due to workers having to isolate themselves, he said.

"They might as well shut us down now down and open us up when it is right to do so and we don't have to follow the rules."

John Matthews, 63, has run The Dukes Arms in Presteigne, a town classed as Powys but which is near the border with Herefordshire, for 32 years.

"With the way things are doing there won't be a 33rd," he said.

He said trade has already dropped in the pub with people "frightened to death" over the latest news surrounding coronavirus.

"Christmas going to be a disaster," he said.

"In the pub I've got three fires going and only three customers.

"Usually Christmas Eve and New Years Eve we are absolutely packed, but I think we might just have a handful because a lot of people aren't coming out, the majority of customers are going to stay home, and that's the reality."

Mr Matthews said abiding to the new rules will be "another expense".

"We have to get all the Perspex again, all the signage, do this track and trace, but we don't get any assistance at all off the government..it is totally ridiculous," he added.

"For young licensees, the young people working behind bars, they are going to suffer far more, job wise and that."

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