A Dundee publican has defaced her own pub to get people talking about latest hospitality restrictions.
Debbie Findlay from the Eagle Coaching Inn in Broughty Ferry has written anti-Sturgeon slogans on her boarded-up windows.
The messages read “Sturgeon the pint snatcher” and “SOS – Save Oor Swally”.
Debbie said: “The pint snatcher refers to the Margaret Thatcher milk snatcher comments back in the ’80s.
“I think some people might be saying look what that idiot landlady has done – but I’m delighted I’ve done them and I’m delighted if it has got the situation faced by myself and other landlords out into the open.”
The graffiti appeared after the 6pm curfew came into effect on Friday night, marking a 16-day indoor booze ban for pubs and restaurants.
However, the new restrictions – designed to stem rising numbers of positive Covid-19 cases in Scotland – have angered publicans.
Debbie said she wanted to highlight the dire situation faced by dozens of smaller city landlords in her situation.
She was happy that her slogans had got people talking and were making people question the restrictions.
Debbie admitted she doesn’t know if her business will survive the latest restrictions or any other measures which might come next.
She said: “We were given little or no time to prepare for this and, as a result, there is going to be a huge waste.”
“At the moment I have seven kegs of beer, each holding 88 pints, that I can’t sell and will be wasted.
“I need to sell 50 of those pints before she makes a profit. It’s about £1,000-worth of beer.
“I also have six boxes of Coke at £60 to £70 a box that will go to waste. We cannot continue at that level.
“I took the decision to close at the weekend because it is not realistic to have a pub open selling soft drinks, nuts, and crisps.
“Yes, I had tables outside, but with social distancing I only have room for eight tables – I can seat around 46 people.
“That’s not viable and we also have to remember this is Scotland in October – maybe if it had been July we could have done it, but not now.”
Debbie said: “The public are being fed misinformation and are under the illusions that businesses like mine are being given adequate financial support from the government – that’s just not the case.
“I’m responsible for paying 20% of furloughed staff wages and along with national insurance and pension contributions, I simply cannot afford to continue like that.”
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