A town centre bar in Moray will shut before the end of the year after the coronavirus pandemic slashed its capacity to just 10 customers.
Licensee Michelle Newlands has run Elgin-based Midas for nearly 14 years through peaks and troughs in the night-time economy.
However, she has now announced that she will close the doors on the Lossie Wynd pub in December after concluding it was no longer financially viable.
Restrictions brought in as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic have cut the bar’s capacity to just 10 customers at a time.
Meanwhile, other rules mean that other income Ms Newlands banked on including cash from the pool table, games machine and jukebox have also been suspended.
The cumulative effect of all the changes mean money being put in the till is no longer enough to cover outgoings.
Ms Newlands said: “We were running as normal then got the message on the Friday morning in March we had to shut as soon as possible, and that was us for four months.
“If you’ve got no income coming in then you imagine it’s not going to be easy.
“Even with 10 people being allowed in you are not really taking in enough to cover the costs of heating, wages and electricity, particularly without the extra income we used to have.
“Other places have been allowed to have their pool tables in use but because of our layout, people are walking past so it’s just not possible with the distancing.”
A sign placed above the bar in the pub outlines other rules that have had to be imposed to limit the spread of Covid-19, including a ban on shouting.
Last month the proprietor took the decision to remain closed on Sundays due to the declining trade.
Yesterday regular customers gathered to support Ms Newlands following her decision to close the bar, which has one other employee.
Patrons shared stories of the licensee’s hospitality and friendship during the last decade inside the town centre pub and away from it – describing her as a “friend and counsellor” in times of need.
Ms Newlands added: “It’s been a really hard decision. Everybody here is really close so we know each other personally, it’s definitely not been an easy choice.
“I’ve worked out I’ve got enough to make it to the end of the year. We’ll close in December, I don’t know when yet though.”
