‘Having to close would be a disaster’: Omicron is ominous for hospitality

The Parkers Arms in Lancashire is fully booked for Christmas but its owner fears new variant could flatten festive spirit

The Parkers Arms in rural Lancashire is freezing cold and cannot take bookings over the phone, at least for now. Four days ago, Storm Arwen took out the power lines and telephone wires linking this rural Lancashire gastropub to the outside world.

Its ever-optimistic proprietor, Stosie Madi, expects normal service to resume by the weekend at the pub in Newton-in-Bowland. But now – like the rest of the hospitality sector – she has a new worry on her mind: the Omicron variant of Covid-19.

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Coronavirus | The Guardian

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