The UK Government's £1,000 grant towards 'wet' pubs has been described as a "massive insult."

Today (November 1) Boris Johnson announced that all wet pubs will be given £1,000 to help them out in what would normally have been their busiest time of the year, as fears grow that 90% of venues could close.

The Prime Minister said that all pubs which do not serve food will be given the funding to ‘recognise how hard they have been hit’ by measures designed to stop the spread of coronavirus.

In a further restriction, alcohol can only be served with a 'substantial meal', dealing a crippling blow to pubs that focus on drink sales.

Malcolm Shipp, managing director of the Stealth Brew Co, who also runs the Vaults pub in Devizes, said: "That’s a massive insult and will be the death of so many pubs as this is the month that covers a pub for the following two months.

“Sure we’ve had various grants and taken advantage of furlough and loans but we will be paying for this for a very long time and will need to attract a greater level of trade once we open back up properly than we had pre-covid.”

Kate Nicholls, chief executive of trade body UKHospitality, said: “A one-off payment of £1,000 for pubs forced to close does not even count as a token gesture.”

Mr Shipp added: “We decided to close fully and mothball The Vaults during the second lockdown, having only just managed to get open after months of being closed and having a full refurbishment which was disappointing as it was a successful return albeit under very different conditions to normal.

“We cannot open in Tier 2 conditions unfortunately, we do have an element of food but we aren’t a restaurant and in any case the no mixing of households would mean removing more tables and making us less viable.”

Pubs big and small have urged people to support them in the coming weeks, as the loss of festive income will be felt strongly.

In Tier Two, as is the case in Wiltshire, people from different households cannot sit together indoors.

It’s not only smaller, or independent, bars at risk moving forward.

Toby Bartholomew, managing director at Wadworth, told the Gazette: “We have continued to support our tied tenants financially through the latest lockdown and going forward as we enter the different tiers.

“We are awaiting the detail of the additional grant support from the government. This is desperately needed to protect these fundamental community businesses.”

David Hill runs the Snuffbox, a craft beer bar, in Devizes.

He said: “I was gutted to not open again, we don’t have a kitchen so can’t serve meals alongside our drinks.

“We are doing a delivery service which we’re only starting up again this week.

“Our customers have been really supportive during all this, we have some really food regulars.

“We chose Devizes as a location for the Snuffbox because it has so much going on, with events and festivals, so to have all that lost this year has been very difficult.

“It’s really important for people to support their local pubs in the next few weeks.”