Pub company Hall & Woodhouse is freezing rents for a month for its business partners, as it decides to temporarily close all 52 of its managed pubs.
The rent holiday will support tenants that rent 130 of its pubs to run their own businesses.
A statement from Matt Kearsey, managing director, reads: “Together with government action on rates, this removes the vast majority of fixed costs for these pubs. As they are running their own businesses, it is up to individual business partners as to whether they keep their pubs open.”
The 52 temporary closures will be phased in over the next week. It plans to retain its staff, although this will be on reduced remuneration. Additional support will be provided through the Woodhouse Trust.
The company stated: “The action we are taking we believe is the right thing to do for the moment for everyone in the communities that we serve in light of the government advice for people not to visit pubs.
“In our history we have faced many challenges (including world wars), but we have always kept our doors open. That is why it is with a heavy heart that we make this decision; but we do it to protect our teams and our guests from the risk of spreading the Covid-19 virus.”
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