Pubs and restaurants are delighted after being given the green light for New Year's Eve parties, but many are still suffering from cancellations.

In a move welcomed by hospitality bosses, Health Secretary Sajid Javid announced there will be no curbs on social mixing beyond the current Plan B measures before then end of 2021.

However, new measures could be introduced in January.

Emma Cox, manager at the Dolphin pub in Wallingford feels she has been left in "limbo" for most of December and wishes the Government would be "honest" with the hospitality industry.

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Mrs Cox said: "We have obviously had a rubbish Christmas for what we had arranged for, ordered for and anticipated for. Because the restrictions were in place last December, we knew what to expect, when to expect it and what to order. At the moment, because it is a bit of a guessing game, we do not know what to do."

Staff at the Dolphin are excited to host a New Year’s Eve disco on Friday after so many events have been cancelled this year.

Anna Kowalska, a manager at the Nags Head pub in Abingdon said the pub has had a hard December.

The pub has been forced to cancel its New Year's Eve event and out of 800 bookings over December more than half were cancelled.

Mrs Kowalska said: "We have cancelled our New Year's Eve event from the uncertainty of it all, we will just be open during the day."

However, after the announcement that no new restrictions will be introduced before the new year Mrs Kowalska said the pub received a "massive influx" of people and a big rise in bookings for the week.

Herald Series: Hasnath Miah of the Indian Dream Takeaway in Didcot has suffered from cancellations of big orders for parties recently, but has not stopped helping those who need food with free curry throughout the pandemic.
23/12/2021
Picture by Ed Nix

Hasnath Miah, owner of Indian Dream Takeaway in Didcot said: "It has been very difficult recently, a lot of businesses around Didcot are struggling especially takeaways and restaurants."

Mr Miah explained that although his business is a takeaway, he does do big orders for events and said that a lot of his big orders have been cancelled. He said parties of up to 200 people have been cancelled meaning he had ordered £6,000 worth of food, which now he fears he may have to throw away.

Herald Series: Pub owner of the Blue Boar in Wantage, Barry Hewett, says more restrictions will be the end to the hospitality industry
23/12/2021
Picture by Ed Nix

Barry Hewett manager at the Blue Boar in Wantage fears if hospitality is forced to close again in January businesses will not survive.

Mr Hewett said: "If they close down hospitality again that is the end of it, totally the end of it. The Government is doing bits and pieces to help the hospitality industry, but they are not doing enough."

He added: "The Government should be bringing the price of beer down to encourage people back into pubs."

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