Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether his Department has made an assessment of the long term impact on pubs of covid-19 lockdowns.

Hospitality businesses, such as pubs, which were asked to close during the pandemic to reduce transmission of the virus have reported reduced trading throughout the pandemic period. Official data indicates economic activity in the sector was 31% lower on average throughout the pandemic, relative to pre-COVID levels.[1] However, in Quarter 3 2021, hospitality sector activity surpassed 2019 levels.[2]

In order to support all businesses across the UK economy, including pubs, throughout the COVID-19 pandemic we have provided businesses with an unprecedented support package of £400 billion, including grants, loans, business rates relief, VAT cuts and the job retention scheme. This includes a total of over £26bn in business grants. The Additional Restrictions Grant (ARG) fund is open until March 2022.

[1] Data represents the average quarterly percentage change in Gross Value Added in each sector from Quarter 1 2020 to Quarter 3 2021 relative to Quarter 4 2019.

[2] https://www.ons.gov.uk/economy/economicoutputandproductivity/output/datasets/monthlybusinesssurveymbsturnoverofservicesindustries.