Gedling MP Tom Randall highlighted the plight of local pubs in his constituency before voting on the tiered system which will see the borough face the toughest restrictions.
He told MPs: “I know many pubs like the Robin Hood and Little John in Arnold and the Cross Keys in Burton Joyce who had hoped to reopen in a Covid-secure way the run up to Christmas, which is an important time for them and those in tier 3 will not be able to do so.
“Man is a social animal and so many have been deprived of social contact this year and at the heart of our communities are our pubs, which also provide incomes and livelihoods for so many.
It would be a tragedy if this virus which has run through the wet markets of Wuhan were to destroy the wet pubs of England. It would not be an England in which I would want to live.
“George Orwell said that ‘the perfect pub has the solid, comfortable ugliness of the 19th century; I think we should do all we can to ensure they survive into the 21st.”
Mr Randall was one of 291 MPs who backed the Governement on the introduction of tough new regional tiers.
After the vote, Mr Randall shared his reasons for backing the Government plan.
He said: “Today’s vote was a binary choice: between lifting all restrictions or voting for the proposed new rules.
“No restrictions on our lives are welcome, but with Covid rates in Nottinghamshire in the over 60s high, as are the number of Covid patients in hospital beds, now is not the time to lift all restrictions.”
Good to here ARNOLD get mentioned on national tv. A credit to the borough and a shining example. Our London. We have best pubs