A LISKEARD publican has described Cornwall going into Tier One restrictions as a “lifesaver” - and says the first weekend out of lockdown was very positive amongst his customers.

Alex McKay at The Albion had envisaged staying shut until next spring: as a live music and sport venue, the loss of trade even under the pre-lockdown restrictions had made a difficult financial situation worse. But a change of heart came on hearing that Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly would be one of the only two places in the country to be in the lowest level of alert.

“I’m highly delighted, but I feel sorry for those that aren’t in Tier One,” he said. “It’s a lifesaver to be honest.”

He said that people were being great about following social distancing rules and using hand sanitiser but that they sometimes had to be reminded about mask wearing.

“People were really glad to be out, and the thing I picked up on, was that after the last lockdown, there was an awful lot of aggression, people seemed to be really uptight.

“This time, people were a lot more positive. Whether that’s because the vaccine is around the corner – that was discussed a lot over the weekend - or because they are looking forward to being able to see people at Christmas, I don’t know, but it was upbeat.

“I think if everyone is sensible about it, there is no reason we can’t have a good Christmas.”

Alex says he uses all local suppliers at The Albion and he hadn’t realised quite what the knock-on effect on them would be until he announced he was having to close in October.

“They are all really pleased that we’ll be opening, it will help them out over Christmas,” he said.

The landlords of another local pub opening this week also spoke of their relief to be able to welcome customers again.

“We are very glad to be reopening. It’s been a horrendous year financially and what the government gives in grants really doesn’t even begin to touch the sides. We currently have 19 people on furlough who all will be returning to work.”

Christmas Day bookings are good and the pub is one table away from being fully booked for New Year’s Eve, they said.

“Tier 1 is as good as we could have hoped for obviously, but the uncertainty of what to do with customers from other tiers has obviously been a concern.

“At the moment we are saying we won’t allow any Tier 3s into the pubs but will allow Tier 2 people as long as they are adhering to Tier 2 rules.”

Hosting customers from the different Tier areas of England, and navigating what the more complicated five-tier system means for Scottish visitors, are among the challenges also being faced by accommodation providers, said chair of the South East Cornwall Tourism Association (SECTA) Sue Jewell.

After a meeting with Malcolm Bell of Visit Cornwall, Sue says members have been advised that “the onus is on the holiday maker to comply with the rules, and on the provider to check that they are complying”.

A postcode-checker enables accommodation providers to monitor where guests have come from and decline a booking if they choose.

But if a provider cancels an already-made booking, because an area has since gone into Tier 3, the provider has to make the refund, says Sue.

There’s equally concern over taking a long booking from a customer in a Tier 3 area who hopes that by the time they arrive they’ll have moved into Tier 2.

This situation of uncertainty over advance bookings will extend into the New Year, she says, and SECTA is encouraging holiday makers to take out COVID cover.

Sue says that, having operated earlier in the summer, holiday cottage owners and hoteliers are at least now more confident in their ability to prepare and operate safely under the guidelines.

“We are in Tier 1, despite the huge influx of visitors over the summer,” she said, addressing members of SECTA.

“We need to pat ourselves on the back that all the extra measures, products and man hours have paid off.”

But not everyone feels comfortable about opening their doors and some have taken the very difficult decision to remain closed for the time being.

In a newsletter to guests, the Talland Bay Hotel said that, after much soul-searching, it had decided to stay shut “until the situation becomes safer and clearer”.

Hotel owner Dr Kevin O’Sullivan, a retired medical doctor, explained he and the staff felt they couldn’t offer the level of service, or the atmosphere, guests were used to under the restrictions that would have to be in place. And he said that the UK was “not out of the woods” in terms of transmission of the virus. The hotel plans to reopen in March.

And at The Blue Peter Inn in Polperro, landlords Rob and Becky Hawke posted a long and heartfelt message online to explain why they would not be opening yet.

“Our priorities at this time are the health and wellbeing of our customers, team, family and the wider community.

“We have therefore decided that at this present time we will not be fully re-opening.

“As it stands, the current guidelines outlined for the different tiers are very vague and unclear and we feel that we would not be able to provide you all with the same kind of Blue Peter experience that you have all come to know and love.

“We have decided for safety reasons to remain closed while we monitor any increased cases of the virus. We are contemplating opening on some weekends, starting December 12.”