Black Boy pub in Sudbury offering free use of rooms to NHS staff helping to combat coronavirus

A business in Sudbury is offering free use of its rooms to medical staff helping to tackle the coronavirus outbreak.

The scheme enables NHS workers to search through a list of businesses providing free accommodation at hotels, bed and breakfasts, pubs and guest houses across the UK.

The Black Boy pub, which offers seven rooms at its site on Market Hill, has pledged to support the scheme.

The establishment was among a string of businesses ordered to close its doors recently following a government announcement to help combat the spread of Covid-19.

While the rooms are left vacant, general manager Ben Lees said the initiative would enable the business to support front-line medical workers.

“Rather than having the hotel sitting empty for two to three months, it might as well be put to good use,” he said.

After joining the scheme at the weekend, Mr Lees said staff working at West Suffolk Hospital in Bury St Edmunds had expressed interest in staying there.

Mr Lees, who has managed the business for around 10 months, said he hoped the scheme would prove effective in the coming weeks.

“The town site is a little way from Bury, so they might need somewhere closer,” he said. “But I would like to think they will take up the offer.”

While the pub won’t be able to offer hot food from its kitchen, cereal and fruit will be available.

When it is deemed safe to reopen the business, Mr Lees said he hoped to see his full workforce return.

“It’s a fairly new team,” he said. “There’s a few members of staff who have been here for over 10 years, so I would like to see them come back.”