Pub and restaurant owners 'nervous' about reopening due to 'virtually nothing' in way of guidance

Some pub and restaurant owners are unhappy with what they see as a lack of guidance from Welsh Government on reopening outdoors hospitality.

One pub owner in Cardiff said he is "nervous" about reopening as they have had "virtually nothing" in way of guidance.

Pubs, restaurants and cafes can reopen outdoors from Monday 13 July while the First Minister announced August 3 as a provisional date for Welsh hospitality to open indoors.

Mark Drakeford said there is already a lot of guidance out there within the sector itself and it is the "responsibility" of business owners "to go and find that guidance."

Indoors hospitality should be able to reopen from August 3 in Wales. Credit: PA Images

James Lovegrove, owner of the Pantmawr Inn in Cardiff, said he is excited that he will be able to open up outdoors on Monday but still has his reservations.

Despite looking forward to reopening, Mr Lovegrove is nervous because he says there has been no specific, detailed guidance from Welsh Government on how that will happen.

He said he is worried there may have a huge influx of customers on Monday that he is not prepared for.

James Lovegrove said the hospitality industry has had "virtually nothing" in way of guidance on opening outdoors from Welsh Government. Credit: ITv Cymru Wales

Several other businesses also said they are feeling left in the dark by Welsh Government's handling of the situation.

Simon Cole from The White Lion Inn in Colwyn Bay said "frustration has gone out the window at the moment" and he is fed up of waiting on guidance from the Welsh Government.

Owners of the Cwtch Restaurant in Llantwit Major agree. Elenid Carlig and her husband George said they have struggled to find specific guidance and now, with Monday days away, it is too late.

They are only licensed to have three tables outside so will not be opening on Monday as it would not be financially viable.

They said if they had been given more clarity on flexibility on current licensing rules, they may have been able to have more tables and then could have reopened next week.

Elenid Carlig said they struggled to find specific guidance and clarity on the rules for reopening outdoors hospitality on Monday. Credit: ITV Cymru Wales

Speaking to ITV Cymru Wales, the First Minister said: "There is an enormous amount of guidance available, and anyone who is thinking of reopening a setting does have responsibility I think to go and find that guidance.

"We will publish Welsh-specific guidance in addition to what is already available, and I think people will find that guidance very helpful but it's not the first guidance that they will have been able to see.

"There is a great deal of guidance published by the sector itself and available elsewhere for people who have had three weeks' notice already of our intention to do something to reopen hospitality."

The First Mnister said there is already a lot of guidance out there and it is the "responsibility" of businesses to "find that guidance." Credit: PA Images

This comes as Mark Drakeford MS set out a timetable for more businesses to reopen over the coming weeks as lockdown restrictions are eased further. As part of this, indoor hospitality has been told they can reopen from August 3 so long as the number of coronavirus cases remain low.

As part of that same announcement on Friday, Mr Drakeford said beauty salons, tattoo parlours and nail bars should prepare to reopen on July 27.