Roll out the barrels? Shropshire pub owners weigh up reopening decision

With many customers eager to see their favourite drinking joints reopened, owners have had mixed responses to the idea of reopening too soon, with the safety of staff and customers paramount.

Adam Caton, landlord of The White Hart in Shifnal, said he is not keen on the idea of only opening beer gardens as they are weather dependant.

"We have got quite a big, expansive space here but opening a beer garden you are entirely weather dependant," he said. "You could buy things to help, but that is potentially a short term investment.

"It's a big effort for us and the breweries. You are asking a massive, almost impossible task to open up that quickly. The rumours of opening this month were not something I even entertained.

"Other landlords and landladys I know were of the same mind. For me its too soon. We need to know weeks in advance."

Adam said there are so many factors to think about before re-opening, especially for an independent pub like his, and a partial re-opening could lead to staff working twice as hard for only 20 per cent of the profit.

"I know the start of July is being rumoured as well but again its a big ask. A lot of bigger pubs, owned by big companies, will maybe be more easily able to open. But for a small independent like us, it is hard.

"I also employ 15 staff here so I need to bare that in mind. The fact that a pub is a social experience is important, it is extremely difficult to reopen under measures that limit that. I do not think this pub is designed for distancing particularly.

"For me personally, as a freeholder, I can make these decisions but at the same time I still have to think about income. I started up a delivery service of ales, wines, gins, etc and the community have been amazing. I can't thank them enough.

"I can hand on heart say we will reopen, but I do not know when. I am looking forward to it don't get me wrong, but there is no denying it has been the hardest time of my life."

Likewise, managers of The Pheasant at Neenton, Mark Harris and Sarah Cowley, said they have been doing a takeaway service but would be hesitant to reopen too soon.

The Pheasant is a community-owned pub, bought by local residents after it stood derelict for nine years, and so Mark said they wanted to take care of their community still, and help vulnerable residents who needed food.

"Everything keeps changing," Mark said. "There has been rumours the past couple of days that the Government have just quashed now. We are blessed with a lot of outside space but we are hoping it won't just be beer gardens open.

"It's looking like there will be a two metre distancing rule in place, and even if we are able to do this indoors, it will impact us massively. The great British pub is designed to be a bit of a huddle really. But anyway we can get open we will take.

"Because we have quite a lot of space we will probably operate on a two metre distance, we definitely want to err on the side of caution.

"You have to take everything with a pinch of salt. We want to make sure staff and customers are safe, as much as we are desperate to open. We have a duty of care – myself and Sarah have a young family as well."