PUB bosses have slammed “bonkers” plans for a Covid ‘pub passport app’ to get a pint.
Landlords, MPs and drinkers all rallied against the Prime Minister’s idea that customers should prove their health credentials at boozers.
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Along with the proof of having a vaccination, other suggestions to offer Brits a freedom pass include past infection or recent negative test recorded on a ‘passport’ smartphone app.
Those who have had Covid would be able to show proof of their immunity from the bug on the NHS app even if they have not been jabbed.
But landlords insisted: “The only ID we need is proof of age.”
And trade bodies said making entry conditional on jabs was “simply unworkable” and would cause conflict between staff and customers.
Clive Watson, boss of City Pub Group, which has 48 pubs, told the Daily Mail: “This proposal is completely bonkers and unworkable. It would create a scramble for the relevant paperwork and would be extremely difficult for door staff to enforce.”
Nick Mackenzie, chief executive of Britain’s biggest pub group Greene King, which has 3,100 pubs, said: “It would be devastating for pubs.
“Barring entry to customers who haven’t had a vaccine would be totally unworkable, add significant cost and make pubs unviable.”
And Jonathan Neame, chief executive of Shepherd Neame, which has 30 pubs, added: “We should not be putting up new barriers just as our freedom is restored and society starts to reconnect.”
Meanwhile, Tory lockdown sceptic Steve Baker urged the Government not to “fall into this ghastly trap”.
He said we should not “tolerate businesses turning away customers who have shown an unfortunate hesitancy to take up the offer of a vaccine”.
Labour’s Ed Miliband said: “If this was really a public health measure, you wouldn’t be saying, ‘well, it’s going to be at the landlord’s discretion’.”
Last night, the British Beer and Pub Association insisted the requirement would not be “appropriate or necessary”.
Greg Grundy, landlord of The Egremont in Worthing, West Sussex, also opposed the move, saying: “Unless government gets support for pubs right, then establishments that survived the wars will close.
“We put in one-way systems, screens, adopted social distancing, we did training for staff, sanitisation, registration books for track and trace, and as a result I think the majority of the public feel a pub is one of the safest places to be.”
PM Boris Johnson revealed yesterday that evidence of antibodies in the blood could be enough to qualify for the certificates for pubs, restaurants, cinemas, stadiums and theatres.
It follows Wednesday’s bombshell admission that pubs will be able to use vaccine passports to block un-jabbed drinkers.
A review into how it will work will be published early next month, with current plans looking at using the NHS app as a digital freedom pass.
WHAT must I do to go to the pub?
You must prove you’ve had the jab, a natural immunity, or a recent negative test.
HOW will I prove my status?
The Government wants to add certificates to the NHS App, with a physical version for non-smartphone users.
WILL I have to social distance?
Not if you have the certificate.
WHAT if I’ve had no jab, don’t have antibodies or want a test?
You can go to pubs, bars or venues with social distancing.
WILL I need one to sit in a beer garden on April 12?
No, these measures don’t affect the reopening then.
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