A NEWTON Aycliffe gin bar will reopen as soon as restrictions are lifted despite uncertainty following the return to local lockdowns, its owners have said.
The Aviator Gin Bar, on Northfield Way, will be forced to remain closed as the whole region heads into Tier 3 restrictions on Wednesday.
The restrictions will see pubs, restaurants and cafes forced to shut, except for takeaway, while households will be banned from mixing in 'any' indoor, and most outdoor settings.
READ MORE: Inside the amazing County Durham bar that's made from aircraft parts
But Colin Scott and Wayne Richardson, who both run The Aviator Gin Bar and The Herbal Gin Company, have vowed to reopen as soon as they are legally allowed to.
Mr Scott said: "The situation still remains the same, we will remain closed and we don't have the facilities to provide substantial meals.
"But what we can say is that we will certainly not be closing our doors - on the day we are allowed, we will open."
READ MORE: Every area in the North-East to be placed under Tier 3 restrictions next week
Mr Scott's comments came after a social media post responded to concerns that the bar may not reopen following the re-introduction of restrictions on the hospitality sector.
The bar, which is made from salvaged parts from Boeing and Airbus airliners, opened following the end of the first lockdown on July 4.
It was forced to shut following the introduction of Tier 2 restrictions across County Durham, before the second national lockdown on November 5.
But while the bar has remained closed, Mr Scott and Mr Richardson have continued to expand the venue's distillery business, The Herbal Gin Company.
Mr Scott said the distillery is going from strength to strength as they continue to deliver products and have recently launched their Christmas range.
He said: "We've been continuing this side of the business while being closed, doing deliveries - we've launched out Christmas Crackers range.
"There's been a bit of a difficulty as the income we would normally get from selling gin to wet bars is not an option.
"But, we can choose to look at lockdown and say it's all terrible or we can say it is what it is and get on with it."
The pair said they this week received SALSA accreditation meaning they can now sell their products in supermarkets across the UK.
Mr Scott added: "Lockdown has just delayed our world domination by a few weeks."
As the news that the entire region would be placed under Tier 3, members of the hospitality sector warned of the impact of yet further restrictions on the hospitality sector.
Gary Forrest, Chairman of the High Street Group, which runs more than 20 bars, hotels and restaurants in the region, said: “Placing Newcastle and other parts of the North East in Tier 3 in the run up to what is normally our busiest time of the year is devastating for the hospitality sector.
"It is extremely disappointing as we have put so much time, effort and money into making our venues covid secure to protect our staff and patrons, but have to remain closed while shops will remain open with less control over their customers as they scramble to complete their Christmas shopping.
“The Government needs to look again at a ‘kite mark’-style system for when they lift restrictions to demonstrate that responsible venues are meeting covid safety requirements and enable the public to go back to enjoying the amazing hospitality we and other operators provide in a clearly safe and secure environment.”
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel