Coronavirus: Manchester pubs told to adapt to avoid 'crippling' closures

The managing director of JW Lees brewery said pubs play an "important role in society"

Telling people to stay away from pubs, restaurants and theatres is "creating a catastrophic period of uncertainty" for the hospitality sector, Manchester's night time economy adviser says.

The government urged customers to stay away to avoid unnecessary social contacts amid the coronavirus outbreak.

Sacha Lord said the move is "crippling" and asked businesses to adapt and offer deliveries or takeaways if possible.

But a Rochdale-based pub chain said it will keep pubs open despite the advice.

William Lees-Jones, the managing director of JW Lees, said: "People want to come into pubs and they want to see people.

"As long as we can do that responsibly, then we think we are doing the right thing."

'Support needed now'

The brewery and pub chain is responsible for 140 pubs across the north west of England.

Mr Lees-Jones said pubs play an "important role in society" and called for the government "to come up with some sort of support, preferably in the form of cash, so that we can keep our doors open.

"We don't want to be laying people off, but we need support from the government and we need it now," he said, urging the government to do "something similar to what they've done in France, what they've done in Denmark to say they will guarantee 75% of people's wages to save jobs in the long run."

William Lees-Jones has asked the government for cash support

Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham said telling people to stay away rather than shut means they may be denied insurance and called for "urgent clarification".

Mary-Ellen McTague, who owns The Creameries in Chorlton, took the decision to close her restaurant before the government announcement because it has sharing tables and an open kitchen.

"I just didn't feel I could keep staff and customers safe as I didn't have the option to space customers out," she said.

Mary-Ellen McTague took the decision to close her restaurant before the government announcement

"We've also had to lay off all our part-time staff because there's no way I can bring in enough money to support their wages.

"We are going to launch a delivery service locally, but there's very little chance of it bringing enough to cover our overheads."

The Firkin, a family-owned real ale pub in Newton-Le-Willows said it has already been told it would not be covered by insurance so "after some soul searching" will stay open.

It said it would put extra safety measures in place, including more contactless payments, as it needed "to keep the cogs moving to pay staff and rent for as long as physically possible".

Manchester Central MP Lucy Powell has vowed to raise the concerns with ministers "immediately".

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