Lockdown has been devastating for locals. Many will never reopen or they’ll be snapped up by the big chains
I wish I was in the pub. I wish I was writing this at a wonky table, imprinting it with sticky rings each time I take a sip of my pint, a muddy dog curled at my feet.
I’m not alone. Of all the sacrifices and hardships we endure through successive lockdowns, propping up the bar may not be the most painful loss, but it’s keenly felt. A survey at the height of the first lockdown into what people in Britain were missing most showed that a visit to a pub or restaurant was second only to seeing family or friends. Given how many of us see family and friends in the pub, maybe we can adjust the figures and call it a tie.
