Editors Page

No printed version to produce at the moment as we can't print our usual run of 3,000 copies as the pubs cannot do anything with them until this is all over. We can't really do a downloadable version like before either as up until now that has been a PDF copy of the printed version. On top of that, we have no real idea who was downloading the online issue anyway so it has become a bit of a dilemma.

Nobody really knows where this is all going and despite CAMRA's efforts to support pubs and breweries during this crisis, it is the pubs themselves that are at the sharp-end and things are not really going too well up here. We have had quite a few closures for various reasons - maybe some would have closed anyway but I know of a number in my local small town that have given up the ghost as they cannot even break even let alone recover the losses that they would have incurred during the full lockdown.

A lot of pubs have started concentrating on food and quite a number were doing takeaways during the lockdown but with the current limited capacity available, I know that it is a struggle to provide the variety of cask ales on a regular basis but full marks to those landlords who are pushing hard to stay afloat.

Now if you really want to support your local, this is what I think you need to do to help:

• If you book a table, particularly if it is for food, please turn up or at least give the pub plenty of notice of cancellation. Your table could be made available for others.
• Keep to the rules on distancing and don't pass around your phone as it may become contaminated.
• Try not to grumble if the beer price has increased a bit - less customers mean less income.
• Now I know this is difficult but try to remember that a local pub will probably never be able to compete on price with the big chains (you know who I mean) so enjoy the ambience of your local and help keep it viable.
• If the pub no longer gives CAMRA discount or accepts vouchers during the pandemic, please be sympathetic. If their business becomes a big loss maker then you may lose the pub and we don't want that to happen as pub numbers are shrinking as a worrying rate.

This new online website is probably going to be a temporary fixture until the pandemic is over, whenever that will be, but we are hoping to update it on an regular or regular basis, depending on what content we get and what adverts are available. I would imagine it will be either quarterly or maybe bi-monthly but let's see what happens.

Jack Summers-Glass
Editor