Young's which runs numerous pubs in Richmond has launched a Save the Great British Pub campaign.

Chief executive Patrick Dardis wants two households to be able to mix indoors in a change to the Tier 2 rules, which Richmond is moving into on Wednesday (December 2).

Mr Dardis also called for the rule of six to apply indoors. It will only apply outdoors under the new Tier 2 rules and people will only be able to sit indoors in the pub with people in their household or support bubble.

Young's runs pubs in Richmond town centre including the White Cross, Lass O'Richmond, the Ship Inn, Marlborough, Orange Tree and the Shaftesbury.

The company urged people to "share this strong message with your MP".

The letter in full:

Hundreds and thousands of jobs are at stake in the hospitality industry, which has been hard hit by the pandemic while at the same time investing millions of pounds to create Covid secure environments for our customers to mix in.

We are calling for two changes to the new proposed Tier 2 system for hospitality venues:

1. Reinstate the rule of six indoors

1. Allow two households to mix indoors

Pubs, restaurants and the wider hospitality sector have been brought to their knees by a government blatantly ignoring the evidence that they are safe and are actually part of the solution to the crisis.

The industry has spent millions of pounds creating covid-safe environments to allow Britons to improve their mental health and well-being and to enjoy some relaxation from the stresses of these awful times.

Pubs are a huge part of our culture and are a significant part of every community. They are the only places where alcohol is consumed in a controlled and supervised manner.

The tiered approach in pubs and restaurants has forced friends and families to resort to meeting in each other's houses. After all, we British need to see our friends and families. Why does the government not understand this?

There is absolutely no evidence to support some of the messaging suggesting that pubs are a significant factor in spreading the virus. The sector has supplied government with evidence that clearly demonstrates the opposite is true.

We understand the need to follow covid protocols, in particular social distancing until the vaccine has been rolled out, and will continue to ensure our pubs and restaurants are the safest environments.

Let's not forget, the sector as a whole - including the wider supply chain (brewers, for example) – supports over six million jobs, contributes around £158 billion to the UK economy and generates over £70 billion to the Treasury in taxes.

We need your support, as do millions of people whose livelihoods depend on you, to prevent a disaster from happening. Make your voice heard in the Commons.

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