London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Monday, Mar 30, 2026

Covid Wales: How are pubs faring as alcohol ban starts?

Covid Wales: How are pubs faring as alcohol ban starts?

Pubs and restaurants have had the first full day of trading without being able to serve alcohol.

The entire hospitality sector was also told it must close its doors from 6pm every night, in a bid to curb rising Covid cases before Christmas.

Some in the industry fear many venues will not recover from the latest restrictions.

Others have reported a boom in daytime table bookings, despite a ban on alcohol.

Ben Browne, owner of the Pitch Bar and Eatery on Cardiff's normally bustling Mill Lane said bookings have been decimated, and he will be forced to close during the week.

He said they normally serve about 250 diners on a Saturday, but with the loss of evening trade, it was down to just 30 for the day.

"Turnover wise, we are forecast to take somewhere between 15 and 20% of what we have normally on a Saturday," he said.

"We normally have 70-100 people for Sunday lunch.

"But we've had so many pull out, we're down to 12 so it's not viable to open - it won't cover the chef's wages.

"I don't know if it's lack of choice or people being scared off."


Cardiff's Mill Lane was one of the city's busiest streets for food and drinks - but now trade is suffering due to the pandemic


He said they have taken a decision to only open on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, in the hope the business can survive the restrictions.

"My worry is people think it will go back to normal in two weeks, that is the public perception, but I don't think it will," he added.

"There will be no chance of a New Year's Eve and we will be closed until January.

"I really am worried about what it is going to be like on the other side of Christmas though, a lot are holding on because of December trade."


They may have only been able to serve non-alcoholic wine and beers - but business was booming at the Gwaelod y Garth Inn


But outside the city centre, it is a different story for others in the industry.

At the Gwaelod y Garth Inn in the busy commuter-belt village on Cardiff's outskirts, business has been booming.

"We opened for breakfast at nine-thirty, and we were fully booked," said the pub's manager Rob Pearson.

"We're fully booked for lunch today, and we're fully booked tomorrow - it's bonkers.

"We phoned everyone who had booked for Sunday lunch to ask if they still wanted to come - 175 people. Every single table is confirmed."

He said the village had "rallied round".

"It's too early to see how the no-alcohol sales will affect us.

"We've managed so far. The staff have been throwing ideas around. If you surround yourself with a good team you will have a good business."

A review of the latest restrictions will take place on 17 December, but First Minister Mark Drakeford has already warned there needs to be "a sustained fall" in the number of coronavirus cases to reverse the alcohol ban.

"We would need to see figures coming down across Wales, we need to see a sustained fall in those numbers and be clear that the trajectory is heading down as well," he told a briefing on Friday.

Conservative leader in the Senedd, Paul Davies, said the national approach from the Welsh Government was unfair on areas with low Covid rates.

Plaid Cymru said hospitality was "paying the price" for a lack of stricter measures after the firebreak lockdown ended on 9 November.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Starmer Signals UK Crackdown on Addictive Social Media Features
Rising Costs Push One in Five UK Hospitality Businesses to the Brink of Closure
Man Arrested on Suspicion of Attempted Murder After Car Strikes Pedestrians in UK, Injuring Seven
Escalating Conflict Involving Iran Tightens Fiscal Pressures and Highlights UK Economic Vulnerabilities
UK Moves to Confront Russian ‘Shadow Fleet’ Operating in Its Waters
UK Housing Divide Deepens as Older Owners Hold Wealth While Under-30s Face Mounting Barriers
London Demonstration Calls on UK to Recognize Iranian Opposition’s Provisional Government
UK Green Party Vote on ‘Zionism is Racism’ Motion Collapses Amid Internal Disputes and Technical Failures
SNL UK Ignites Debate with Sharp Royal Satire Targeting Prince Andrew and Prince William
EU Proposes ‘Emergency Brake’ to Resolve Deadlock in UK Youth Mobility Talks
Thousands Rally in London to Oppose Rise of Far-Right Movements
Hong Kong Official Rejects Allegations of Surveillance Orders Targeting UK-Based Dissidents
PayPal Expands Cryptocurrency Services to Allow UK Users to Buy and Sell Bitcoin
UK Minister Challenges Reform Party’s ‘Pro-Family’ Agenda as Debate Intensifies
Concerns Grow Over Meningitis Risk Among UK Students Amid Warning Signs of New Outbreaks
Japanese Grand Prix 2026: Schedule, UK Start Times and Full Broadcast Details
Electric Vehicles Seen as Strategic Solution to UK Fuel Reserve Concerns
Rise of Lone-Actor Threats and Online Radicalisation Drives New Wave of Antisemitic Attacks in the UK
Canada Advances Plan to Ban Cryptocurrency Donations in Election Campaigns
UK Faces Looming Medicine Shortages as Iran Conflict Threatens Supply Chains
Deadly Meningitis Outbreak in the U.K. Highlights Urgent Need for Vaccination
Fresh Claims Emerge Over Harry and Meghan’s Australia Visit as Insider Speaks Out
NATO Assessment Indicates UK Defence Spending Has Fallen Below Alliance Average
FTSE 100 Slips as Middle East Tensions Weigh on Investor Sentiment
UK Economy Begins to Feel Early Impact of Iran Conflict as Policy Challenges Intensify
Russian National Jailed in UK After Assault Case Linked to Barron Trump’s Alert
Energy Price Surge Accelerates Shift Away from Fossil Fuels in UK Homes
UK Museums House More Than 260,000 Human Remains, New Report Reveals
Surging UK Gilt Yields Reflect Inflation Pressures and Fiscal Uncertainty
UK Issues Updated Guidance on Children’s Screen Time with Focus on Balance and Wellbeing
UK Migration Figures Show Shifting Trends Across Asylum, Visas and Channel Crossings
UK Watchdog Launches Probe into Five Firms Over Alleged Fake Reviews and Ratings
Jaguar Land Rover Halts Production at UK Plant Amid Supplier Disruption
UK Police Reverse Position, Confirm Arrests Will Resume for Palestine Action Protests
UK Small Businesses Face Europe’s Steepest Cost Pressures, New Survey Reveals
US Envoy Urges UK to Proceed with King’s Visit Amid Diplomatic Sensitivities
FTSE 100 Drops Over One Percent as Middle East Tensions Weigh on Markets
UK CO2 Plant Set to Reopen as Authorities Move to Safeguard Supplies Amid Middle East Tensions
Trump Urges Stronger Defence Investment as He Questions Allied Naval Capabilities
New COVID Variant Detected in UK Raises Concerns Over Vaccine Effectiveness
FTSE Russell Moves to Standardise Free-Float Rules for UK and International Listings
HBO Max Launches in UK and Ireland, Marking Major Step in Global Streaming Expansion
UK Signals Readiness to Seize Russian ‘Shadow Fleet’ Vessels in Escalation of Sanctions Enforcement
Escalating Middle East Conflict Seen as Major Threat to UK Economic Stability
Early Challenges Mark Prince Harry and Meghan’s Australia Visit
UK Government Rejects Cover-Up Claims After Theft of Former PM Aide’s Phone
Cyprus Opens Strategic Talks with UK Over Sovereign Base Areas
UK Faces Risk of Sharp Inflation Surge Despite Stable Pre-Crisis Figures
UK Police Arrest Two Over Suspected Antisemitic Arson as Iran Link Investigated
UK Inflation Holds at Three Percent Ahead of Oil Price Shock from Iran Conflict
×