Will pub staff be made redundant?

[MyNameIsInsertName]

Obviously noone can answer this.
I work (or worked) in a pub on a zero hours contract supervisor. It was an out of the way pub which was mostly known for family meals and dogs could go there too so not a pub people really get absolutely drunk at.
Im furloughed right now and havent really heard much since pubs closed.
Wondering if pubs open and social distance is introduced then less staff will be needed meaning redundancies?
What are your thoughts?
Im feeling so anxious

Honest answer? I expect so unfortunately. There will be a lot of redundancies across the board. I'm in manufacturing - an industry that is still allowed to trade - and I've been on furlough since March, we are only operating at about 40% of our usual revenue. A lot of businesses are suffering. I'm expecting to be made redundant myself.

I agree; I expect so. I think the reality is that, even when they reopen, there will be a lot of people who simply won’t go.

The pub experience as planned by Wetherspoons sounds so grim, that the appeal of pub going is going to die out for a lot of people, it hardly sounds worth the bother to pay more for a drink in a pub as opposed to just getting cheaper booze from a supermarket.

I think there will be a wave of redundancies and closures in the short term while there are still restrictions and people are cautious. I would hope new businesses start popping up to replace them in a year or so when everyone is happy to go out again. Not much consoloation though I know

@blueBrian If the social distancing stays longer than short term it'll kill off pubs, pubs rely on busy events like football matches and Saturday nights etc with live music. Wetherspoons might be okay because it's more suited for that kind of environment where you can sit down and get table service, order food and drink off an app etc.

Wetherspoons not really a traditional pub experience anyway and quite soulless.

On the face of it I would’ve thought so due to lower number of customers.

However, I spoke to the landlord of our local the other day and he’s actually looking out for more staff due to the requirement of table service only.
This is a small village pub mind and not one that offered table service previously.

Pubs were closing in large numbers even before this pandemic, so sadly, yes, many will go out of business. Social distancing is going to be hard enough in restaurants and cafes, almost impossible in a pub. Pubs are all about socialising in a relaxed environment. You can - usually - get exactly the same drink at home for much less money, so people go to pubs for the atmosphere and to meet other people. Social distancing and hygiene rules, however neccessary, would destroy that.

I work in hospitality as a chef.I understand your concern.I 've been reassured that the large company I work for can withhold this phase.Personally I feel the public will be reluctant to return quickly people will have less income and the hours will be reduced or redundancies as we are talking of having less staff initially.
I do feel the pubs may open in July though...The ones with gardens which is early than I anticipated.

I dont think they'll get enough business to stay open in the majority of cases. Personally I'd love to go to the pub, but not if I have to queue for hours to even get a table

But aren't those two statements contradictory? You won't be queuing for hours if fewer people are going surely. I think a lot depends on the additional tweaking that the govt are prepared to do around the social distancing rules. I read somewhere that if the distance is reduced to 1 metre as it is in Europe then 75% of pubs become viable. At 2 metres its only around 30%.

The rules would put me off tbh.A coffee in an outdoor cafe yes I can see that.The whole cosy country pub like the one I work in not so much.Not until there are meds or a vaccine.The whole reason for pubs is great food and socialising and drinking I can't see how it would be fun anymore with the restrictions in place.

@Puppylucky I think enough people will want to go that there'll be queues. It will put some off but not all. But even with a queue of people there will not be enough people to be profitable due to SD limits

I can't really see people queuing up to go into a pub to sit down and have a drink with all restrictions, certainly not when the weather turns in the autumn and its dark early.

By hook or crook pubs might see it through this year and withstand the losses etc (helped by the furlough) but if it goes well into next year pubs and the hospitality sector in general will just collapse.