The landlord of Bermondsey’s Old Bank pub has urged people to come back to the pub when it reopens its outdoor area on Monday, April 12, writes Kit Heren…
Moss O’Sullivan, who manages the pub on the corner of the Blue market on Southwark Park Road, said pubs were “the safest place”.
“We always sanitise everything, it’s very safe,” he told the News. We always get blamed for everything but it’s one of the safest places you can go. We’ve never had any bother.”
The Old Bank has space for about 30 people on its outdoor tables. O’Sullivan said he is not taking bookings, unlike many other pubs reopening next week.
Asked whether he was in favour of the controversial “vaccine passport” scheme currently being considered by the government, O’Sullivan said that he supported “anything that would help us open up fully”.
As the News was going to press Health Secretary Matt Hancock had been summoned to the High Court to justify why he is allowing non-essential shops to open before pubs and restaurants.
The legal action has been brought by Pizza Express founder Hugh Osmond and nightclubs operator Sacha Lord, The Sunday Telegraph reported.
The paper says it has seen High Court documents which show the two businessmen are challenging “the Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (Steps) (England) Regulations 2021 to the extent that those Regulations provide for non-essential retail businesses to reopen before indoor hospitality businesses”.
Pubs can open up their outdoor areas from April 12. Find some of the pubs in Southwark that are reopening here