A landlady fears pubs could take months to reopen after coronavirus lockdown restrictions are relaxed.
Dawn Hopkins, 50, who owns the Rose Inn on Queens Road, Norwich, said it was inevitable the lockdown was extended for at least three weeks by the government.
The announcement was made by foreign secretary Dominic Raab on Thursday, April 16, during the daily Downing Street press conference.
Ms Hopkins said: “I wouldn’t be surprised if we [the UK] have to be in lockdown for a bit longer to enable us to get back to normal. It is better than rushing everything. I think pubs will be closed for the next few months. The issue of social distancing in pubs is very difficult. I think lockdown should have been done sooner.”
She added she would love to reopen and said the appetite was there from customers but it would not be possible immediately after lockdown is lifted.
Ms Hopkins said it would be hard for the business to come back from the pandemic.
During the Downing Street press conference, Mr Raab, who is standing in for prime minister Boris Johnson during his recovery from coronavirus, said: “We know it is rough going. Together we must keep up this national effort for a while longer. There is light at the end of the tunnel but we are in a delicate stage of the pandemic. Please stay at home. Now is not the moment to give the coronavirus a second chance.”
He acknowledged the impact the lockdown had on businesses and individuals.
Italian-born Mario Luchai, 56, owner of Trattoria Rustica in Princes Street, Norwich, said: “We have to open when it is safe. It has to be done properly. This coronavirus has opened our eyes in terms of how connected we are as a country and throughout the world. This problem has to be tackled globally.”
Mr Luchai, who has family in Milan and Sardinia, said some people, particularly while shopping in supermarkets, were not fully following the lockdown rules which did not help the recovery.
“Everybody has to work together to beat this,” he added.
The restaurant owner, who makes 50 meals a week for NHS staff as well as some dishes for vulnerable neighbours, believed testing needed to be improved to help the UK tackle the virus.
He also praised the government for its furlough scheme, meaning none of his 17 staff had to lose their jobs.
MORE: Three new deaths confirmed at Norwich hospitalVijay Jetani, 35, owner and business director of Namaste Village on Queens Road, Norwich, who is operating a delivery service as well as cooking for NHS workers, said: “No-one likes lockdown but it looks like that is the best choice at the moment. We are happy to bear the loss and we don’t want our NHS and nation to suffer.”
For the latest COVID-19 news, visit the Norfolk Coronavirus Updates Facebook page.
Click here to find out more about the EDP’s Here to Help campaign.
You can also subscribe to our daily coronavirus newsletter, providing all the latest from where you live.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here