Pub saves jobs as it turns into a takeaway

A family-run pub in a Shropshire village has secured jobs for all of its full-time staff and made the switch to offering takeaway food during the coronavirus shutdown, after landing funding Lloyds Bank Commercial Banking.

Like all pubs, the Bull’s Head Inn in Chelmarsh was told to close its doors to customers, but owner John King wanted to protect the future of the business he has owned with his wife Norma for 14 years.

The kitchen switched to a takeaway, delivering more than 40 roast dinners to the homes of locals on Mother’s Day.

Relationship manager Mark Meakin helped King navigate the government support available to the business, as well as providing a package of support including an overdraft extension and loan repayment holiday for at least six months – longer if needed.

King said: “It means we’ve been able to tell our full-time staff that we’ll be paying them for their normal weekly hours while the pub is closed.

“They are all so relieved that they can meet their commitments and pay their mortgages and rent.

“Lloyds Bank has been very helpful in helping us to understand all the different elements of support that the government is offering in guarantees and grants, keeping us up to date on what’s available and how we access it.

“Our relationship manager Mark has been superb. He started working right away to pull a support package together for us.

“At 9pm on Saturday night he contacted me to say he’d submitted the package to Lloyds Bank credit committee and by 9am on Sunday morning it had been approved, which was incredible.

“We’re a small rural business, employing local people and we just want to make sure they all still have jobs at the end of this torrid situation, so we’re very grateful for the speed and professionalism of the team at Lloyds Bank.”

Now the Bull’s Head Inn, which also offers B&B and self-catering accommodation, has come up with new takeaway menu of country pub classics.

Mark Meakin, relationship manager for Lloyds Bank Commercial Banking, said: “These really are unprecedented times for business and the hospitality industry is particularly vulnerable, given the government’s advice for people to stay at home.

“It’s important that we all work together to get through this and help healthy businesses survive.

“Employers like John want to stand by their workers, and we’ll do whatever we can to help them do that.”