PUB owner Jodie Kidd has warned that people will be “frightened” to return to pubs once the lockdown is lifted.

The Sussex model backed the continued closure of pubs to stop the spread of coronavirus in the UK but said the hospitality industry was “going to need a bit of extra help from the Government”.

Celebrity MasterChef runner-up Jodie runs the Half Moon pub in Kirdford, near Billingshurst.

Speaking from the Grade II listed building during an appearance on Good Morning Britain, the 41-year-old said: “Before coronavirus we were losing up to three pubs a day (in the UK).

The Argus:

“It’s a very hard industry, the margins are very tight and very small, so it was already at a very unbalanced point.

“Goodness gracious, I don’t know how many pubs are going to survive getting through the coronavirus and I think it’s going to be quite a shock about how many don’t open their doors again.

“It is a tough industry but I have to say the Government has been fantastic, they have given us some amazing grants.

“But we still need a little bit more help because, I think, within the hospitality sector we’re going to be the last place which people (come back to).

“Of course we’ll have a few, our regulars will come flying in and be so happy that the doors are open. But there will be a lot of people who will be quite frightened to come out to pubs and bars again.

The Argus:

“So I think we are going to need a little bit extra help from the Government because I think we are going to be one of the last places where people have confidence to come and to get the pubs back to the level that they were before – which was a very tough time anyway.”

But she also warned there was a risk some people would “go crazy” when lockdown measures were eased. She said: “Especially after a glass or two, then that is going to put my staff and my team in a situation where they are going to have to keep on going in between these people, to keep reminding them (of social distancing guidelines).

“I just think it’s really important not to rush this.

The Argus:

“The most important thing is that we do not get a second spike.

“If we get a second spike it will completely cripple the hospitality world and I think it (the lockdown lift) is something that we should just not rush.”

She reopened The Half Moon for takeaway only late last month, but warned it could be some time before we see pubs back in action.

“Realistically, I don’t think we will be going full speed again until before Christmas,” she said.

  • At The Argus, we are championing the work of traders during the coronavirus pandemic as part of our #BackingSussexBusiness campaign. We are always interested to hear how the community is coming together in this crisis. If you know of a local business battling to do all it can in these tough times and/or offering support to the local community, please get in touch at laurie.churchman@theargus.co.uk and rose.lock@theargus.co.uk.