A BREWERY boss has admitted the new local tiered coronavirus restrictions will kill trade at one of the busiest times of the year.

As new restrictions came into force on Wednesday, pubs have only been allowed to reopen if they serve substantial meals with alcohol – otherwise they will have to stay shut.

With Herefordshire in tier two, no socialising indoors is allowed, except for with those in the same household or support bubble. The rule of six applies outside.

Wye Valley Brewery’s chief Vernon Amor, 47, admitted it was a blow to the entire industry when the restrictions were announced, but it wasn’t unexpected.

He said: “Clearly, it’s a bit disappointing, and for ourselves as a brewery mainly relying on pubs it’s not great news. Normally 85 per cent of our beer goes into pubs as draught beer, so you can imagine when pubs are shut it has a pretty negative effect on our trade and our business.”

Mr Amor praised his staff at the brewery in Stoke Lacy, near Bromyard, for working through the pandemic, but said its pubs such as the nearby Rose and Lion and the Barrels in Hereford aren’t likely to be reopening yet.

“Critically for the hospitality industry, December is probably the time when pubs make the most money. They don’t make any in January and February, that’s for certain,” said Mr Amor, who started working at the brewery under his father Peter in 1997.

“We’re not going to have that big boost over Christmas this year.”

In Bromyard, the Queen’s Arms in High Street is one of several so-called “wet pubs” across the county to remain closed as it will not be viable to start offering food.

Landlady Tess Derry said: “The fact that alcohol can only be served with a meal, not before or after, coupled with the single household per table rule, would make things very difficult.”

The Stagg Inn in Titley, in north Herefordshire, will be one of the pubs reopening its restaurant, but owner Nicola Reynolds said the new rules make life difficult.

“I just don’t know what to say about the one household rule. It is pretty much impossible to enforce and, of course, meeting friends, neighbours and family is why people go out,” she said.

“The Stagg has always had food as its focus so that part of the rules is not a problem to us, but for those who do more ‘wet’ trade, it must be very dispiriting.”

Under the new rules pubs can be open until 11pm, but last orders will still need to be called at 10pm.