Pubs welcome prospective reduction in two-metre social-distancing rule as ‘a phenomenal move’ towards reopening sector

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. An easing of the social-distancing guideline would be “a phenomenal move” towards reopening the pub sector, said Emma McClarkin, chief executive of the British Beer and Pub Association. “I don’t think generally speaking people will want to go back to pubs,” Trevor Vickers, who owns four pubs across the midlands, told The Independent. “We would like to welcome the prime minister to a pub on 4 July to have a pint and a fabulous British meal in a pub to prove from the top down that it is safe to go there.” Ms McClarkin urged the government to stick to the expected date of 4 July, as brewers had taken a “leap of faith” in starting the brewing process before plans were definitively announced, as the process takes around three weeks to produce fresh beer for pubs. “For us, we really need that date to be the date that all pubs that can reopen with social distancing have the opportunity to open and start their recovery.” Mr Vickers, who also owns the Blue Monkey Brewery on the border of Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire, said he had been able to keep the microbrewery going throughout lockdown by sending most of the beer for bottling, allowing it to be sold through off-sales.