Warning that pubs face closure over rent payments

Bryn Jones of The Oxford Arms in Kirtlington said he is ‘appalled’ that Star Pubs & Bars is still collecting 50 per cent of the rent despite the pub being closed due to the lockdown.

Like many across the county, the pub has turned to offering a food takeaway service in order to maintain some sort of income during the pandemic.

Mr Jones, the pub’s chef patron who has run the business since 2003, said that many other thousands of pubs across the country are in the same predicament, with regards to rent.

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He said: “We are appalled at their insistence that we should pay 50 per cent of our rent to them during the currency of this crisis.

“What they are seeking to do may, strictly, be within the law, but it is plainly outside the boundaries of any definition of morality.

“We’d be happy to pay five to 10 per cent of the rent as it’s their property and we live here.

“Our last hope is for public pressure and the Government to act to save the industry by cancelling rent, not deferring.”

Mr Jones highlighted that other pub companies such as Admiral Taverns, Fuller’s and Young’s have cancelled all rent obligations.

Lawson Mountstevens, managing director at Star Pubs & Bars said: “We are and will continue to do as much as we can to help our pubs.

“In addition to the Government’s waivers and grants to help cover rent, salaries and other fixed costs, Star Pubs & Bars is providing rent reductions to pubs on an individual basis and suspending the collection of any rent until at least June or whenever pubs reopen.

“We know the rent relief, which represents a significant investment on behalf of Star Pubs & Bars during challenging times for the whole industry, and the support we provide on a pub by pub basis will have a significant bearing on the future sustainability of our licensees’ businesses – and clearly we want to see our pubs thrive in the long-term.”

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Meanwhile, The Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) has supported the idea of a ‘rent holiday’ for pubs owned by the biggest companies.

The Oxford branch of CAMRA has backed calls for more Government support, after the British Beer and Pub Association warned that there could be widespread closures.

Oxford CAMRA spokesman Dave Richardson said: “We understand that pub companies face major challenges, but if they don’t cancel rents they are only storing up problems for the future.

“Many people in the pubs trade are already suffering badly after over a month of enforced closure, but if this lasts for several months it would be catastrophic.

“Many pubs at the heart of their communities could close for good.

“It’s heartening to see a few pubs offering takeaway and other local support, and there are probably many people who aren’t regular pub-goers benefitting from that at present.”