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Pubs in and around Bury St Edmunds announce temporary closures due to coronavirus restrictions




Several pubs in and around Bury St Edmunds have announced temporary closures due to the ongoing coronavirus restrictions.

Amid the Tier 2 restrictions, pubs can only serve alcohol with a substantial meal which has hit trade.

This week, several pubs in the area announced they would be closing temporarily including The Cadogan, in Ingham, and The Crown, in Hartest, from the end of evening service on December 31.

The Cadogan in Ingham. Picture by Mark Westley
The Cadogan in Ingham. Picture by Mark Westley

The Tavern on St John's, in St John's Street, will shut after service on Christmas Eve, Oakes Barn, in St Andrew's Street South, from 9pm on Christmas Eve and the Guinness Arms, in Icklingham from December 28.

Meanwhile, the Six Bells, in Horringer, is closed until January 2.

The Cadogan and The Crown are part of the Gusto Pronto group, which is run by David and Roxane Marjoram.

Roxane and David Marjoram. Picture by Mecha Morton
Roxane and David Marjoram. Picture by Mecha Morton

In a statement on their website, they said: "What has become clear is that it isn’t viable for us to trade under the current Tier 2 restrictions at The Cadogan or The Crown. Multiple forced closures and re-openings with no time to reduce wastage or plan just cause us further financial damage.

"We have therefore made the difficult decision to put both The Cadogan and The Crown into hibernation from the end of evening service on 31st December.

"Like a boxer who gets knocked down and keeps getting up again, we can only keep getting up so many times before permanent damage occurs.

"We believe that pressing the pause button at our rural sites on 31st December will give us the best chance of protecting Gusto and our teams through the rest of the pandemic until we can trade more ‘normally’ again.

"By ‘normally’, we mean the equivalent of the current Tier 1 trading restrictions where some indoor household mixing is permitted and you can enjoy a drink without the requirement to also have a meal."

The One Bull, on Angel Hill, and wine shop, Vino Gusto, will stay open.

The company's The Beerhouse remained closed following the second lockdown in November as it doesn't serve food, while The Fox, in Bulmer Tye, is in Tier 3 so is also closed.

In a Facebook post from The Tavern, owners Craig and Julie Nichols said they had given Tier 2 their 'best shot' but felt they had been put 'in the impossible situation of having to police customers'.

They said: "We need to put the safety of our amazing staff and loyal customers above all else and this is becoming increasing hard to manage. The prospect of a New Year's Eve spent turning people away and expecting people to eat up, drink up and leave is a step too far for us.

"We would like to thank our staff whose loyalty and hard work has been simply overwhelming. And to all our lovely lovely customers we can't thank you enough for your love and continued support. We will open again when the time is right and it is safe for us to do so. We have so much more to give at The Tavern and believe me, we absolutely can't wait."

Oakes Barn in Bury St Edmunds. Picture by Mecha Morton
Oakes Barn in Bury St Edmunds. Picture by Mecha Morton

In a Facebook post, Oakes Barn owner Heather Warren said she had made the decision to close temporarily 'based on the pressures on staff over the last week, customer feedback, current government advice and the increase of Covid cases locally'.

"To the staff and my family who have worked hard to adapt to the constant changes at Oakes Barn, I would like to thank each of them for their dedication," she said.

"You have all been fabulous and worked above your job roles.

Heather Warren, of Oakes Barn. Picture by Mecha Morton
Heather Warren, of Oakes Barn. Picture by Mecha Morton

"To our loyal customers for their constant support and kindness, thank you for adapting and adhering to government guidance, I thank you from the bottom of my heart.

"To those customers who do not want to adhere to goverment guidance, you have sadly brought me to this decision. The cases of covid 19 locally our on the increase. And by not obeying to simple house rules, you have forced me into making this decision.

"As you can imagine closing Oakes Barn comes with a heavy heart. But be assured , the business is fine, we simply need to protect you all."

On Facebook, the Guinness Arms said it will close from December 28 to February 1 to help keep staff and customers safe.

Also on Facebook, the Six Bells, in Horringer, said they had seen a 'considerable reduction in trade since the Tier 2 restrictions were introduced'.

They added: "We also feel that the latest developments are set to have a major impact on our lives in the coming months, therefore we are preparing as best we can for what is ahead.

"We would like to ensure the safety and wellbeing of ourselves and those around us, as this is not just our pub but also our family home."

They are running a takeaway service on December 23 and 24 from 5pm to 7pm.

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