The Hospitality Leaders Poll, conducted by Lumina Intelligence for The Morning Advertiser​, MCA​, Big Hospitality ​and Restaurant​, asked its 316 respondents how much the change in closing time will affect them.

Some 23% said there would be a ‘large impact’ and about a quarter (26%) won’t see any impact and 4% saying there would be an impact.

The survey also asked how much the wet-led sector had been unfairly targeted in the Prime Minister’s Winter Plan.

The large majority (85%) said it had while one in 10 (10%) said it hadn’t, 3% said it would have a ‘little impact’ on wet-led businesses and the same percentage (3%) said a ‘large impact’.

Punitive treatment

One operator said: “The Government appears to have singled out pubs for punitive treatment which, based on the clear evidence that well-run community pubs are not a cause of spreading the virus, is completely politically motivated.

“The Government is causing unnecessary and irreversible damage to our economy, our society and the wellbeing of the British people. We can only hope that sufficient MPs vote against the cabinet’s proposals and allow hospitality to operate responsibly through December and into 2021. Failing that they must compensate hospitality businesses to protect jobs and ensure we have a hospitality sector for the future.”

Another claimed the Government seemed “intent on destroying the wet-led sector”.

Respondents were also asked if they would prefer to stay closed over Christmas rather than risk extended lockdown measures going into spring. Most (60%) would rather close over the festive period, while 40% wouldn’t.