BRADFORD’S pubs have described mixed emotions of “deflation” and “relief” tonight following the announcement that West Yorkshire will be moved into Tier 3.

Under the new restrictions, from Monday, pubs and bars must serve a 'substantial' meal with purchases of alcohol.

You can only meet indoors or outdoor spaces, such as a garden, or hospitality venues with people in your household or support bubble.

It will leaves the district’s taverns with a number of new dilemmas: close up or gamble on the raised costs of providing ‘substantial’ meals to boost footfall.

The owners of The Alexandra in Idle tried to remain hopeful about the new restrictions, revealing further additions of ‘substantial’ food portions to its menu.

Bev Clarkson said: “Well as anticipated the news of tier 3 has hit and this will mean a significant change for everyone....as always we are 100% committed to ensuring the safety of our loyal customers but we WILL remain open, offering a substantial food option....for now until Monday it is business as usual and we will of course update on the rules and measures we will be putting in place to protect you all over the next couple of days.

“Tough times everyone but we are here to support our community and hopefully maintain some semblance of 'normal'.”

Meanwhile Keith Wildman, who runs the Record Café on North Parade, said he will “ponder… as to the best way to proceed”.

Ahead of the announcement, the publican feared that Tier 3 would leave him with “no alternative but to close”.

In a Twitter thread, he described having "very little confidence" that measures would be enforced and that it had seen "very little" enforcement of Tier 2, which Bradford has effectively been in for months.

Speaking to the Telegraph & Argus this evening, the owner said: “I think we all realise that it has to happen. It's more a feeling of a bit of deflation everything we've been putting into place with the social distancing, the 10 o clock finish, the table service, the track and Trace, the wearing of the masks, not having any effect and still going up.

“It's good to know there a date so we can plan. The issue is not knowing. It's been looming over for a week, two weeks. At least now there's a set date. I need to look into what level of support is available to staff. The priority has always been the staff and making sure we're in no worse position next month, next year. In a way it's a relief to know somethings happening whereas being up in the air.”

Bradford CAMRA chairman Peter Down also raised concerns about enforcement and fears for smaller venues and breweries.

He said some breweries in Bradford have stopped brewing completely for the duration of the pandemic.

Before Tiers were introduced, the CAMRA chief was told by a number of breweries that they were already “struggling” to stay afloat.

“It’s a bit of a mixed bag actually, there’s a lot of publicans that are not happy with Tier 2 at the moment. They are having to deal with all the restrictions, the customers are being put off by the rhetoric from Government, they’ve been finding it really hard,” the chairman said.

He continued: “Tier 3, as I understand, will get more support from the Government but at the end of the day it’s a case of whether they can trade or not and whether it’s worth them trading. I know a number of pubs are increasing their food offering so that it classes as a substantial meal. They now have the dilemma of, if they do this are they going to get the customers in to make it worth their while or are they going to be increasing costs with no additional gains?

“The Government are providing support for the pubs that might close. There’s no support as I understand it for the breweries.

“A lot of them [Bradford’s pubs] are buying beers from the small local breweries.”