LEDBURY pubs and retailers have expressed "disappointment" over the slow road out of lockdown restrictions, announced by the Government this week.

One retailer has called it “a huge blow”, because of the loss of Easter trade, while a number of Ledbury pubs are wondering whether or not to re-open for outdoor customers on April 12, when lockdown conditions start to ease.

Pubs will be able to open up outdoor areas for customers on April 12, but even premises with extensive beer gardens are wondering whether it makes economic sense to actually open then.

Vicky Jefferson, manager of Thee Counties Bookshop in the High Street, called the loss of Easter opportunities “a huge blow”, because card sales are so brisk that time of year.

She said: “It’s usually one of our busiest times.”

Concerning the Government’s ‘road map’, Mrs Jefferson added: “We would like to see a more localised approached. It’s selfish, I know, but Herefordshire fits into a low-risk category.”

Looking to future, she said: “We will carry on. People are lovely here, and they want us to carry on.”

The Oak at Staplow has extensive outdoor grounds, but manager Chris Howell said, “We are not making a decision until next week. It’s got to be sustainable, and I would say we are 50/50 about re-opening in April at the moment; but quite possibly, we will re-open on April 12.”

Mr Howell praised “a really good following” on the pub’s Facebook site, with 130 followers, and he added: “Hopefully, they will all come back”.

He added: “There is no question of us staying closed; none at all.”

The Feathers Hotel, in the High Street, which has some outdoor space, has already decided, following a Zoom meeting among management this week, not to re-open until May.

A spokesman said: “The Feathers Hotel is to fully reopen on Monday May 17.”

But the month of April will not be wasted. The spokesman added: “Work is well advanced on a complete refurbishment of the hotel’s twenty bedrooms and all the work is now on course for completion.”

As things stand, under the lockdown easing restrictions, on April 12 restaurants and pub gardens will be allowed to serve customers sitting outdoors - including alcohol; customers can meet in a group of up to six people from different households; a maximum of two households can meet to form a group of any size.

But on May 17, hospitality venues can seat customers indoors; parties can be made up of a maximum of six people or two households of any size.

The historic Talbot in New Street closed before the third lockdown, when Ledbury moved from Tier 1 to Tier 2 restrictions, at Christmas.

At the time of going to press, it wasn’t clear whether or not Wadworth would re-open the Talbot in April, with the pub chain looking at which of its pubs have enough outdoor space to be viable for re-opening at this point on the lockdown-easing roadmap, and which are not.

Wadworth spokesperson, Elaine Beckett said: “We are still in a process of identifying which sites will open. Some won’t be viable to open on the outside only. Pubs with a small amount of outside space are unlikely to open.”

A statement specific to the Talbot was not forthcoming, at the time of going to press.

Homend retailer, Annette Crowe of Past and Present, expressed sympathy for local pubs but also concern for Ledbury’s traders, saying that not being able to re-open until April 12 was “a bit disappointing”.

She said: “It is also a bit depressing, because we’ll be missing Easter and, in my opinion, small shops are safer than supermarkets, and they are open.

“According to the Government, even shops opening on April 12 is not a certainty; but you have to have goal. It’s something to aim for.”