The new Omicron variant of Covid-19 is causing Jesmond hospitality businesses to re-consider their festive plans, with some choosing to scrap special deals which might attract crowds.

The Punch Bowl pub on Jesmond Road, for example, has decided not to offer any Christmas deals this year to avoid the gathering of large crowds at a time when the new variant is at large.

Punch Bowl general manager John Cooper said: “We will not be being doing anything different for Christmas this year. We are certainly not in the business of trying to encourage people who might be worried [about Omicron] to go to the pub. I don’t think that’s the right thing to do. It’s better to let people make their own decision without trying to tempt them in.”  

The decision not to offer any Christmas deals has not been taken lightly at the 150-year old pub which is still struggling to recover from the financial blow incurred during the lockdowns of the last two years. But Cooper said he welcomes any action that would avoid another lockdown. “I think any business owner would prefer any alternative to a complete lockdown, but obviously we would not stay open if it meant putting people’s health at risk.”

The government has announced tighter rules in response to the new variant, but prime minister Boris Johnson emphasised during his press conference that the government does not want people to cancel Christmas parties.

Other Jesmond hospitality business, including Pizza Express and Caledonian Hotel on Osborne Road, have decided to keep their Christmas offers in place. Pizza Express manager Kai Griffiths said: “The festive menu is just for our regular guests so they will have a different option alongside the usual one. It’s not meant to lure more people in, but to make it more appealing for people who are already regulars here. The deals aren’t so much for big parties.”

Pizza Express at Jesmond serves between 300 and 400 customers per week and Griffiths says there is unlikely to be a significant increase over Christmas.

The Caledonian Hotel is offering Christmas packages for families with children. Families can book to have breakfast, lunch or afternoon tea before the children meet Santa and play with Peppa Pig. Deputy general manager Christina Colman said: “We have to follow all the [safety] procedures, staff have their masks on all the time and we have social distancing in place for Santa – we want the children to enjoy the experience, but we need to do it in a safe way.”

All three hospitality businesses said they are following government guidelines for mask-wearing. The wearing of facemasks is mandatory in hairdressers, beauty salons, banks, post offices and shops in England — but they are not required for customers in pubs or restaurants. “We are going with what the government says, but for me it is slightly bizarre that the government is making hospitality exempt [from needing to wear a mask],” said Cooper of the Punch Bowl. 

The Punch Bowl displays an NHS QR code on its entry doors and offers hand sanitizer for its customers. Pizza Express staff receive regular company emails encouraging them to maintain social distancing, clean surfaces every two hours, wash hands every 20 minutes, and take free weekly PCR tests while Caledonian Hotel reception staff are further protected by glass partitions.