Doncaster's 'most missed' bar looks set to stay closed until June

The venue, which has only been running in the town centre for around three years and does not use glasses, was rated as the most missed bar in a poll carried out by Visit Doncaster which attracted over 27,000 votes.

Debbie Blatherwick, who runs the bar, said it had been an ‘awesome surprise’ and a ‘perk-up’ to have won the vote in the agency’s lockdown awards.

But she said it could be June before they were able to re-open again.

She said: “When will we reopen? Well, we had a meeting a few days ago on how we would manage this. We are also working with Doncaster Council with some factors of our reopening which will make a difference to our business and we hope to have a pro-active and positive result from that.

"Many bars will open very shortly and although we took pole position with the award, Doncaster has a very varied choice for its customers in the hospitality trade which I’m sure are all missed by their regulars.

"Doncaster offers a great choice with many awesome bars although we have heard some may not return. “Our plan at the moment is not to reopen whilst tables are required inside so we would be looking at June 25 to bring back the little bar.

"The Government’s path back to normality is something licensed premises really can not argue with as we are bound by law to uphold our license to sell alcohol, however we do think that wet bars took the brunt of the pandemic alongside night clubs."

“Let’s hope fingers crossed that we keep the R-Rates down, keep everyone safe and see a return to normality as per plan.”

She said that she thought the venue was the only bar in Yorkshire that doesn’t serve drinks in glasses – instead using polycarb ‘vessels’ because they feel it is safer. Debbie said they were currently looking at new cocktails to put in when they re-open.

In these confusing and worrying times, local journalism is more vital than ever. Thanks to everyone who helps us ask the questions that matter by taking out a subscription or buying a paper. We stand together. Liam Hoden, editor.