Pubs will 'continue to survive' despite challenges
BBCA brewer believes community pubs will "continue to survive" despite on-going challenges.
Matt Topman, founder of Jersey's Stinky Bay Brewing Company, said people still drink consistently, but a lot less, and believed it was "the start of quite a tough period". However, he was confident pubs would not "disappear completely".
It comes after plans were submitted to turn part of the Saint Lawrence Pub into self-catered accommodation, which the architects said would retain and secure its future.
Marcus Calvani, from the Jersey Hospitality Association, said the industry faced "real challenges" with increasing base costs and changes in drinking behaviour, so it had to find ways to "keep our pubs".
Calvani said the recent plans were "brilliant" and "any way a hospitality business can diversify to make itself keep going, we have to highly commend".
He said the pub was "really important for the community".
Despite a good summer for visitors numbers on the island, he said businesses told him they were busy but were "not making money", because the costs have gone up.
"We're working as an association to try and help governments overcome some of those base costs, lower them where they can..."
Topman said about 50% of his company's trade came through pubs, but said they had to "scale back" some products due to lack of demand.
Topman said his company did not sell outside of Jersey due to costs and not being viable enough.
"Sadly, we are now the only local brewery, nobody else brews on the island anymore.
"If we stopped brewing, it would probably be the first time in likely recorded history that there was no brewery on Jersey.
"I don't think pubs will disappear completely - I think it will just be a gradual winding down."
Topman added: "I think the pubs that are generic, a bit faceless, will close, but the pubs, especially the ones that are owner-occupied, they'll continue to survive because they formed that community."
Calvani said pubs were really important for social welfare and mental health and it was important Jersey had one in each parish.
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