Covid: Welsh Government pulls Christmas drinks TV advert

Restaurants and pubs in Wales will have to shut daily at 18:00 GMT from Friday

Drinks producers are calling on the Welsh Government to reverse a decision to pull a Christmas television advertising campaign for the industry.

A government official said in an email to the sector that the campaign "could cause some confusion" after a decision to ban alcohol in pubs and restaurants.

One vineyard owner said it felt like a "double whammy" while another called it a "major demoralising blow".

The government said its "virtual" and digital campaign would continue.

New rules, such as a ban on serving alcohol in bars, restaurants and cafes and allowing cross-border travel to parts of England and Scotland, will come into force on Friday at 18:00 BST.

• Can people from Wales go to England to drink?

• Can I meet friends under new covid rules?

• What do the new rules mean for pubs in Wales?

It will not be against the law to travel to areas of England under tier one and two restrictions - like Liverpool, Chester, Cheltenham or Bath - for an alcoholic drink as part of a "substantial meal".

But First Minister Mark Drakeford has urged people not to travel unless absolutely essential.

He said: "Coronavirus doesn't respect borders. Please think carefully about where you are going and what you are doing. This virus thrives wherever we come together with others."

Mandy Symonds, owner of the Boat Inn in the border town of Chepstow in Monmouthshire, is closing her pub as she feels "everything's stacked against you".

She said she was "gutted" when she realised the new regulations meant her customers could go into England - "a 20 second walk away" - to drink alcohol in a pub when she could not serve them any.

The Welsh Government is currently promoting Wales' drinks industry through its Make It A Welsh Drinks Christmas campaign.

Launching the campaign, Environment Minister Lesley Griffiths said it was an opportunity to support "the ongoing resilience of our food and drinks sector".

One producer says the move is "demoralising"

BBC Wales has been told the television advertising campaign was meant to run on ITV, S4C and Sky from Friday.

But in an email circulated with the sector on Thursday, an official said: "Given the recent Welsh Government announcements regarding the closing of elements of the sector, we reviewed the potential of the Welsh Drinks Christmas TV campaign.

"It was considered that the TV campaign could cause some confusion following the Welsh Government announcement."

The email said the government had "decided not to pursue the TV advertising at this time" to "concentrate all efforts on the social media campaign".

"The early months of each year are traditionally quiet for many drinks producers," the email added.

Brains, the biggest Welsh-owned brewery, will shut all of its 100 managed pubs from Friday

"With this in mind we would encourage the cluster to start planning [as soon as possible] for another Welsh drinks campaign early in 2021, to drive an ongoing recovery for Welsh drinks producers."

Richard Wyn Huws, owner of the Pant Du vineyard in Gwynedd's Nantlle valley, said they "were so excited" about the television adverts because "this has never happened before to promote small Welsh drinks producers".

Mr Huws, whose company produces wine, cider, apple juice and water, added: "This was a great opportunity for us to compete with big brands throughout the UK and promoting Welsh businesses.

"We've been hit hard recently with these last announcements. I feel that the government has got this really wrong.

Pubs and restaurants in Wales can only serve non-alcoholic drinks from Friday

"I've backed the government with every decision they've made up to now but I feel this is a time for them to make a quick U-turn on this decision."

Richard and Siw Evans, owners of Llaethliw Vineyard near Aberaeron in Ceredigion, said: "As a vineyard which has suffered over the lockdown policy of Welsh Government, the TV campaign supporting the Welsh drinks sector was a welcomed light at the end of the dark tunnel.

"This gave us hope that we could recover some of our lost sales. The cancellation has come as a major demoralising blow.

"Postponing to the dry months of January, February and March does not give any comfort as these months are renowned for low sales."

Plaid Cymru said the "last-minute decision" to pull the advert was "devastating" because of the "difficulties the sector has faced over the past year."

"It's also puzzling given that producers were encouraged to share the same advert on social media," said Llyr Gruffydd, the party's environment spokesman.

"My understanding is that there is a brief five-second sequence showing people drinking in a pub and this Welsh Government didn't want to send mixed messages to viewers.

"Firstly, they should reflect on their damaging decision to effectively close pubs for the festive season but secondly there was a fairly easy re-edit to lose the offending footage."

A Welsh Government spokesperson said: "No money has been lost as no TV advert slots were booked. The campaign will continue as planned through virtual events, digital promotion, and through the website."