British Pub Confederation expresses concerns about “appalling” plans for vaccine passports in pubs

The use of vaccine passports in pubs would be unethical and impractical, said Chair of the British Pub Confederation Greg Mulholland.

He stressed the financial strain that the measures would have on those in the industry. Mulholland also expressed concerns about the responsibility placed on the pub owners and staff having to enforce these rules.

“We were appalled when the Prime Minister first suggested the idea of vaccine passports for pubs and will continue to oppose this unnecessary and worrying idea,” he said. Publicans have already “suffered huge losses”, according to Mulholland, and it would be “unfair to impose further restrictions that would result in increased costs and less trade”.

He emphasised the requirement for additional funding for door staff to enforce the measures and that pubs would face less business from customers as a result. Further restrictions would pose a “threat to the income and livelihoods of publicans and their families”, he said.

A survey from the Office for National Statistics showed that only 1% of pub and bar owners had “high confidence” that their establishments would survive beyond three months when asked in February this year.

Mulholland said: “It’s time that rather than only thinking about large chains and big businesses, those proposing such ideas fully understood the impact of restrictions for tens of thousands of ordinary people.”

The “Covid certification” scheme is under review, as Cabinet Office Minister Michael Gove considers how it could allow venues, including pubs, to keep their doors open if coronavirus cases surge later this year. People in England will be able to show their vaccination status using the NHS app.

Emma McClarkin, Chief Executive of the British Beer & Pub Association said: “Our sector has already gone to extraordinary lengths to prepare for reopening and we do not believe a requirement for pubs to check whether someone has had the vaccine would be appropriate or necessary.”

Founder and Chairman of Wetherspoons, Tim Martin, described the proposed restrictions as an “arbitrary” and “extensive use of emergency powers”. He opposed the scheme in a statement for The Daily Telegraph, explaining that pubs had already implemented social distancing and hygiene practices without having any reports of new coronavirus cases.

“For many pubs, hanging on for dear life and devastated by G-force changes of direction, a complex and controversial passport scheme would be the last straw. It would inevitably put pub staff in the frontline of a bitter civil liberties war,” Martin said.

Mulholland, who is also the Campaign Director for Campaign for Pubs, questioned the ethicality of pubs being “forced to make moral judgements about whether people have received the vaccine”. “Now we are at this stage of the vaccine rollout, it must mean that the risks are much lower,” he said.

“It’s time that decisions were not simply based on the Covid -19 figures but that all other factors were taken to into consideration. This includes the impact of closures and restrictions on mental health, and on the livelihoods and futures of thousands of people and families,” he said.