LARGE wedding venue owners say it is a ‘farce’ that restaurants have been permitted to open while their doors have to remain firmly shut.

Amid the lifting of lockdown restrictions in July across Lancashire, some business sectors such as pubs and restaurants, which were previously closed due to the coronavirus pandemic, reopened.

According to Hitched, one of many websites listing wedding venues, there are around 16,000 wedding venues across England with around 1,778 in the North West. The government has permitted small wedding gatherings of up to 30 guests in bars, pubs and restaurants but the larger venues which rely on big events have been hit hard.

During a typical summer some of the most popular Asian venues in the region would host a series of lavish weddings in what is seen as a burgeoning industry.

One of the largest venues is the Grand Venue in Harrison Street, Blackburn.

A spokesperson said: “It has been a horrible time for the customers and horrible time for us. People have done one or two years’ preparation and they have been left in limbo with no idea when things will change.

“Here at our venue we are safer than the restaurants. We have high ceilings and could easily accommodate up to 150 with social distancing. Our place is a lot bigger than many others.”

Another venue owner from Blackburn said they had 96 bookings this year. A spokesperson said: “It has been a nightmare as a business.

“Customers who have paid deposits are calling up and are giving us advice on how to open. We said we can’t. It is impossible. Ultimately, we have a duty of care to the public. If anything happens my business will suffer.

“It will take us two to three years to get back to normal. Everyone has cancelled for this year.

“Customers are ringing and ringing but we can’t give them a date as there has been no advice from the authorities. Many people in our industry will say it is farce that restaurants are open as they busier than wedding halls.

“At a wedding venue you could do track and trace much better than other places, as we would have a set number of people and a list of names. We are much safer than restaurants.”

MPs from across the North, including Blackburn’s Kate Hollern, are among those who have voiced their concerns.

Yasmin Qureshi, MP for Bolton South East, is co-ordinating the response of MPs across the country. She said: “I was initially approached by some local wedding venues who were beginning to struggle like many other businesses.

“Many of the venues are much bigger than average wedding venues and can follow the social distancing guidelines.

"I wrote to the Ministry of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy and explained that the job retention scheme needed to be longer to cover the summer wedding season, the rate rebate must be extended to next year and that those venues that were bigger must be allowed to open as they could easily follow the social distancing guidelines and support the track and trace as they knew their customers, but we have been told ‘no’.”