PUBS and hospitality venues across Teignbridge have faced a difficult and uncertain time over the holiday season.

While Christmas and New Year traditionally bring in trade to sustain businesses during the leaner months of January and February, the end of 2021 may not have brought in such benefits.

But it was mixed fortunes as some venues enjoyed a boost to trade while others chose to close until the New Year, partly due to cancellations, staff sickness or isolation.

The latest increasing figures of the new Covid variant Omicron had led to a raft of cancellations of festive celebrations.

A reduction in business, at a time when venues rely on such profits, is likely to be cause for concern among some in the hospitality sector in the district.

Co-owner and manager of the Jolly Farmer in Newton Abbot, Glenn Powell, said the popular town centre pub suffered a lot of cancellations.

He said: ‘Particularly for larger functions such as Christmas parties, we did have a lot of cancellations.

‘However, on December 23 we hosted an 80s music night in out outdoor area and it was a great success.

‘New Year’s Eve was fantastic despite closing at 1am where we would typically be open 24 hours.

‘We are very lucky to have a large outdoor open space and we have been trying to create the most comfortable atmosphere outside as possible, buying more outdoor heaters for example.

‘Our function room is back up and running having recently been refurbished and so we are looking forward to welcoming people in the future.’

Landlord of the Wolborough Inn, Tim Langford said the season had been quiet although there had been a ‘steady stream’ of customers.

He said: ‘We weren’t busy by any means.

‘We were closed on Boxing Day and though we were open New Year’s Eve with some music on, it was very quiet all the same.

‘It has been a funny Christmas as you couldn’t plan anything given the situation and I think a lot of people were on the fence: shall we go out or shall we stay at home?

‘I can’t paint a very good picture as it was a bit of a wash out honestly and we didn’t make a lot of money.’

Over in Cockwood it was a different story on New Year’s Eve.

The 500-year-old harbourside pub treated revelers to a Sixties and Seventies themed celebration.

Manager Scott Hellier, 42, who dressed as John Travolta from Greese, said: ‘My deputy Matt Goldsworthy did a star turn as Elton John then slept in the bar to get an early start on the clear-up next morning.

‘It was well worth it. The theme idea was a real success and it was one of our very best nights.’