Bars treated 'unfairly' during pandemic says Cannock boss as he looks to brighter future
"I think the hospitality industry has been treated unfairly and seen as a scapegoat, but we are looking to the future."
Bar Sport owner Scott Murray has faced a number of challenges over the last two years due to Covid-19, from lockdowns to restrictions on numbers in the bar to financial and staff losses.
The owner of the popular Cannock bar said it had been a tough time, not just for him, but for the hospitality industry as a whole.
He said: "It's been tough, as this industry has been hit harder than most industries and I think we've been treated really unfairly and used as a scapegoat.
"To me, you are safer going into a bar than a supermarket, yet we were the ones who were always closed first, with a huge impact on us as it cost us financially and we lost a lot of staff."
Bars were among the many businesses forced to close in March 2020 when the first national lockdown was introduced and were subject to numerous restrictions over around 15 months.
This included table service, limitations on the number of people being able to enter the premises, the rule-of-six and the installation of protective screens at the bar, as well as no bar service being allowed.
Scott said he spent a lot of money on adapting the bar for when lockdown restrictions were lifted and spoke about he and other bars had tried to adapt during the pandemic.
He said: "I definitely think most people who have been put into a corner like we have, have adapted and thought outside the box, such as the huge outdoor area we set up, which was a fabulous success.
"It's given us time to just focus on what we can do right in the future and I think everyone has had the time to think about the past and the future during this time."
For Scott, there has been a financial loss due to the closures, but he said he chose to look to the future, using a boxing analogy to define his viewpoint of the future.
He said: "We made a huge loss during the lockdown, but I think you rise above it both professionally and personally and hospitality venues are used to rising up and adapting.
"I used to box and this reminded me of the boxing days of when you get knocked down, you have to get back up and carry on fighting to win the fight.
"Right now, it feels like a 12-round world title fight and we're entering the final round and looking for the win."
Bar Sport has again become a hub of activity, hosting parties for the Euro 2020 final and nights with boxers such as Barry McGuigan and Olympic gold medallist Galal Yafai.
Scott said that after everything that Covid had thrown at him and the industry he works in, he was feeling a lot more optimistic for the future.
He said: "Personally, I'm feeling really good. I think I have moments, just like everyone else, but I think most people can see the light at the end of the tunnel and have faith in things getting better.
"Over the last two years, people have been dragged down by this and there's been a lot of depression, but I feel confident about things getting better, as do a lot of other people."
