In the latest instalment of ‘Nigel Farage Investigates’, the Brexit leader spoke to a struggling pub in London which claimed that their local council “entrapped” them into violating Chinese coronavirus restrictions.
Mr Farage released a video on Tuesday in which he spoke to a sales the manager as well as the owner of the Waterman’s Arms in Barnes, London, who claimed that an undercover member of the local council “tricked” the business into breaching the COVID-19 rules.
The sales manager of the pub, Adam Sanford, told Mr Farage that he was approached by a man on November 20th, asking to buy a takeaway pint of beer.
Mr Sanford said that initially, he told the man that all pints must be pre-ordered online per the lockdown rules, however, after several rounds of pleading from the man, he acquiesced and sold the man a pint as a “favour”.
Shortly thereafter, the man returned with another man to the pub, this time wearing licencing authority badges from the local council, and informed the pub that it had violated the restrictions by selling the pint. The council employees then handed the pub a “prohibition” notice, temporarily shutting down the already struggling business.
“Obviously [I was] a bit shaken up and thought ‘I can’t believe this has just happened,'” Sanford said.
“Isn’t that unbelievable, haven’t they got better things to do?” Mr Farage questioned.
The Brexiteer turned part-time investigative journalist then spoke to the owner of the Waterman’s Arms, Dick Morgan, who told Farge: “The whole of industry and business has been very tough with the restrictions caused by the virus.
“For the hospitality industry, it’s been particularly difficult and especially in this last period because we seem to have been victimized if I could use that word.”
“I’ve seen some very strange things happen over the years, but I mean basically it’s what they call entrapment, they’ve created, for want of a better word, a crime to be committed by their own actions,” Morgan said.
Mr Farage said that the story of the Waterman’s Arms was just one example and warned that should the lockdown measures continue, then “potentially thousands” of pubs could close for good.
“I’m not sure our politicians our leaders — many of whom are slightly odd individuals — I don’t think they go into pubs. They’re not big socializers, they don’t get how important pubs are, not just in terms of the income, and taxation, and jobs they provide, but within a community,” he noted.
Farage said that every pub is a “parliament” and that they serve a vital role in British democracy for the public to meet and discuss ideas.
“Maybe if the pubs were open, there would be a bit more resistance to government policy on lockdown,” he suggested.
On Wednesday, some pubs will be allowed to reopen in London, however, only those pubs that serve “substantial meals” will be able to open their doors. Those pubs which only serve alcohol and snacks will remain shuttered.
The ‘Tier 2’ lockdown restrictions will also reintroduce the coronavirus curfew of 10 pm in the British capital.
Follow Kurt Zindulka on Twitter here: @KurtZindulka
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