Owner of Knead Pubs supports MP Gareth Davies' decision to vote for tier system
The owner of a pub chain has supported Stamford and Bourne's MP in his decision to vote for the new tier system.
Despite having to keep his businesses closed, the owner of Knead Pubs, Mick Thurlby, is confident the correct tier system for Stamford and Bourne can be achieved now that the country has exited the national lockdown.
However, when first hearing that the whole of Lincolnshire was in tier 3 Mick admitted that he was 'disgruntled'.
He said: "When the tier 3 announcement for South Kesteven was announced myself and the team around me felt numb.
"Everyone was speechless, our pubs were all half decorated, orders had been placed, pubs were spotless and staff were ready to begin work again the following day.
"However all this was not to be and the thought of being closed throughout Christmas and thereafter was incomprehensible.
"Personally our first thoughts were for many of our staff who live alone, in flats and who are really isolated without a purpose or job to go to at this already pretty miserable time of year."
Knead Pubs includes Paten and Co, The Crown Hotel, The Tobie Norris in Stamford, and Smith's of Bourne and Jubilee Garage in Bourne which are all under tier 3 regulations and have not been operating with takeaway service. Mick also owns The Lord Nelson in Oakham which is remaining closed despite being able to open within the tier 2 rules.
To get some answers on the tier system, Mick called Gareth Davies MP to question how the Conservative politician planned to vote and how he thought the hospitality industry would be able to overcome the difficult situation.
"He explained that the tier system was a 'tier patchwork' which the Government felt made things easy and clearer by area," said Mick.
"The health officials for Lincolnshire had agreed this."
He added: "As for the vote on Monday, in my understanding, this was simply to come out of lockdown and into a tier system.
"Therefore if we did not come out of lockdown as a nation we can not move forward and subsequently fight the tier system we were incorrectly placed in."
Mr Davies told the Mercury yesterday (December 2) that he only decided to support the plans after he and fellow Conservative Sir John Hayes (South Holland and the Deepings) received assurance that the Government would take into account that areas of South Lincolnshire have low case numbers at the next review.
Despite the impact the tier 3 restrictions have on the hospitality sector, Mick has encouraged people to continue supporting their MP.
Mick said: "Now is the time to help our respective MPs to achieve the correct tier system, for now, which is appropriate to our local health service and enables the hospitality industry to open in tier 2 and try and salvage something with the inevitable restrictions in place."
