Rutland and Melton MP Alicia Kearns has built a coalition of 55 MPs to call on Ei and Stonegate, Britain’s largest pub landlord, to cancel rents during the pandemic to ensure the industry survives.
EI has so far only offered to defer rent for thousands of their tenants for an unknown period of time, leaving them with a bill reaching into the tens of thousands of pounds. Some landlords have been asked how quickly they intend to pay back rent accrued during the lockdown period.
Local EI pubs include:
- Fox and Hounds Knossington
- Noel Arms Whitwell
- Old Pheasant Glaston
- Plough Greetham
- Railway Inn Oakham
- White Horse Empingham
- Cutting Room Melton Mowbray
Alicia Kearns has organised a letter signed by 55 MPs from four parties calling for Ei to offer a rent holiday, or equivalent level of support of some other kind, to all pubs in their group.
Alicia Kearns, MP for Rutland and Melton, said:
“Despite the uniquely devastating impact the pandemic has had on the pub industry, across the country publicans have stepped forward to join the national battle against COVID-19: from providing free meals to self-shielding individuals and NHS workers to expanding their services to meet the needs of our communities.
“It is only right that EI stand by their hardworking tenants at this time and offer meaningful support to our pubs so they can weather this storm and continue bringing our communities together when our country has healed.”
