A national pub company that owns businesses across the UK, including in Falmouth, has confirmed plans to cut about 800 jobs and close dozens of pubs.

It is after seeing trade slump following the introduction of a 10pm hospitality curfew by the government, to help ease the spread of coronavirus. 

Among the pubs owned by the company is the Quayside Inn in Falmouth's Arwenack Street, although it is not known if this is one of the affected businesses. 

When the Packet contacted the Quayside Inn a member of staff was unable to comment. 

In a statement today (Wednesday, October 7), Greene King, which is one of Britain's biggest pub chains, said it will keep 79 of its sites shut for the time being, with about one third of these closures expected to be permanent.

The good news for Falmouth is that the pub was open today and so will hopefully escape the cuts. 

The firm also called on the government to provide support for the hospitality sector while tightened restrictions, such as the recent 10pm curfew, remain in place.

A spokesperson for Greene King said: “The continued tightening of the trading restrictions for pubs, which may last another six months, along with the changes to government support, was always going to make it a challenge to reopen some of our pubs.

“Therefore, we have made the difficult decision not to reopen 79 sites, including the 11 Loch Fyne restaurants we announced last week.

“Around one-third will be closed permanently and we hope to be able to reopen the others in the future.

“We are working hard with our teams to try and find them a role in another of our pubs wherever possible.

“We urgently need the Government to step in and provide tailored support to help the sector get through to the spring and prevent further pub closures and job losses.”

The locations of the pubs that Greene King plans to shut have not yet been revealed.

The company has been asked to confirm which sites are affected.