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14
Jun 2021
Harrogate's hospitality sector reacts with disappointment to lockdown delay
Pubs, bars, and hotels in Harrogate have reacted with disappointment tonight to the prime minister's announcement that the end of all lockdown restrictions will be delayed.
Alison Griffiths, landlady of the Prince of Wales pub in Starbeck, said she understood the "safety first" approach, especially as 10 of the pub's regulars have lost their lives to covid.
But with a busy month of Euro 2020 fixtures ahead, she expects many customers will now prefer to watch the matches at home rather than in the stilted, socially distanced confines of the pub.
She added:
Andy Burrows, co-owner of District Bar on Cold Bath Road in Harrogate, said he understood the rationale behind the delay but said he'd grown weary of the restrictions.
Mr Burrows said social distancing guidelines and masks dampened the bar experience and made it hard for staff to understand what customers were saying.
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Wayne Topley, managing director of Cedar Court Hotel, said the hotel faced a busy summer ahead with banquets, weddings and charity events booked in.
He said he awaited further details, adding:
Andy Barnsdale, general manager of the Doubletree by Hilton Harrogate Majestic Hotel & Spa, said it now planned to reopen in a month's time, but he wondered if its hopes would be "dashed yet again".
He said today's announcement was "particularly disappointing for the hospitality, conference and events industries", adding:
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