Coronavirus: Pub owner receives death threat after banning under-25s amid spike in cases

A North Yorkshire pub has banned all customers under the age of 25 after young people were blamed for spreading Covid-19.

Owner Maggie Holmes said she had introduced the policy at the Oddfellow Arms after a number of young adults tested positive for the virus in the small village of  Sherbern-in-Elmet.

She told The Independent she had received angry and abusive messages and phone calls, including a death threat, since announcing the policy. But she insisted she would stand by the decision.

“The level of abuse has been horrendous when all I want to do is keep people safe,” Ms Holmes said. She added: “These are people who have never visited my premises. I'm just being trolled. I've spent the day in tears.”

In a now-deleted post to Facebook outlining the new rule, Ms Holmes wrote: "We have thought about this very carefully, we will continue to try and ensure our community, customers and staff are all kept safe in these difficult times.

"Before anyone tries to say we are wrong, think of the implications for us as a business. This is not where we want to be. We would rather have a safe environment than a place which is teetering on the risk of closure.

"Please see that we are acting for everyone's best intentions at this time. We have some of the most amazing, well mannered customers in that age bracket, but we simply cannot take the risk.”

It comes as the government was accused of “scapegoating” young people for spreading the virus, having encouraged them to return to work and eat out at restrautsnts. Frances O'Grady, general secretary of the TUC, told the BBC on Thursday “what people resent is politicians and government scapegoating parts of the population when some would say they haven't been top-class in terms of their own competence and capability”.

Earlier this week England's chief medical officer Professor Chris Whitty said cases were rising especially quickly among those aged 17 to 29, while health Secretary Matt Hancock said Bolton’s intensified lockdown had been spurred on by a spike caused by “socialising by people in their 20s and 30s”.

However Ms Holmes said she is only trying to defend her business, her staff and her customers from exposure to a local spike in coronavirus cases - and rarely has drinkers in below the age of 30 anyway.

“I’ve taken the decision because my demographic is not primarily that age bracket and I just want to ensure that I'm not closed again like I had to do for four months," she added.

“I have no dispute that somebody of any age can come in and bring it into the pub, but I'm just trying to mitigate the risk and that's why I've taken the decision and I'm absolutely shocked at the level of abuse that received when I know that a pub in the next village was already implementing this from July.”

The Angel Inn in Sheffield announced on Wednesday that anyone under the age of 25 was barred with immediate effect.

In a social media post, landlord David Sayle said: "Due to Covid-19 precautions, The Angel Inn will not be allowing any under 25s or any children, with immediate effect."

Additional reporting by agencies