January can be a brutal month. It starts with taking down the Christmas decorations. 

It’s always a sad moment to see the tree go and the lights and baubles put away for another year. 

Everywhere seems that little bit colder and empty, just when we need warmth and light. 

Many of us are plunged back into the harsh reality of work after spending an extended period at home. 

That first day back when you have to get up in the dark is a shocker. But hopefully now, 11 days in, we’re all getting back into the swing of it. 

My birthday is in January, so I cling on to the celebratory feeling for just a bit longer and it helps to soften the blow.  

I often get told that it’s unfortunate that my birthday falls in this month, meaning I have nothing to look forward to later in the year, but I like having that little boost at this time of the year. 

January is often a hard month for those in the retail and hospitality trade and this year is particularly difficult. 

Many pubs, restaurants and hotels have decided to close for the whole month because of the high cost of goods and energy. 

The owners have also appreciated that their customers simply don’t have the money to spend on nights out. 

It would not be cost effective to open a pub, to pay the staff and all the other overheads, only to serve just a few customers. 

I know some pubs and hotels are using this period of closure to redecorate or upgrade some of their equipment. 

Hopefully it will pay off and they will be able to provide an even warmer welcome for their customers when they reopen. But the ripple effect from the hopefully temporary closure of so many pubs and hotels is felt far and wide. 

I was in one Cornish coastal village before Christmas and got chatting to a man who runs a small gift shop. 

He told me because most of the pubs, cafes and hotels around him were closing for at least some of January, he felt he had no choice but to close as well. 

Without the trade generated by visitors there were not enough local people to make it worth his while switching on the heating and lighting in his shop. 

Also, spare a thought for the staff employed in pubs and restaurants. Many are only paid for the actual shifts they do and rely on tips.  

Support

They will be lucky to get any holiday pay while their place of work is closed and they certainly won’t be able to get any tips. 

Like so many things in life, there’s often a danger that we take these places for granted. 

We always expect them to be there when we want to treat ourselves to a night out or for a special occasion.

This year they are going to need our support more than ever. 

Many didn’t get the trade they were hoping for in the run-up to Christmas because of the rail strikes, the cost of living and the cold weather. A triple whammy just when they needed to make as much as they could to see them through the leanest month of the year. 

Pubs in particular are at the heart of their community. 

There is no doubt a village or town feels alive and vibrant if it has a warm and welcoming pub or two. 

The people who run them are often the driving force behind fundraising events to help support their local communities. 

We are blessed with some of the most characterful pubs here in Cornwall and Devon, located in some of the most picturesque places in the country. But sadly we have already lost too many of them. 

Even before COVID took its toll, pubs were closing at an alarming rate every week. 

Let’s hope the ones left behind can weather this current storm, using the quiet time to spruce things up ready for a prosperous year ahead.   

I will be doing my bit by celebrating my birthday in a local pub or restaurant. 

Nothing too fancy, but just having a meal out and a drink will be a treat and at the same time hopefully showing a bit of support for our hospitality industry. 

I know, after the excesses of Christmas and when money is tighter than ever, going to the pub is probably not top of the list of priorities at the moment, which is why so many of them have, perhaps wisely, gone into hibernation. 

Hopefully they will soon emerge into the brighter days of early spring to find customers old and new ready to be served. 

In the meantime, good luck to those pubs that are bravely battling on during January.  

I hope the climate, both in temperature and economically, is kind to you. 

Cheers! 

Bye for now.