Diageo announces $100m fund for pubs and bars impacted by Covid-19

British beverage alcohol producer Diageo has announced a programme to support the recovery of pubs and bars from the Covid-19 pandemic.

Through the two-year global programme, Raising the Bar, the British company is launching a $100m recovery fund.

The company said that the programme will offer targeted support needed to reopen after lockdown and build back their business.

Diageo chief executive Ivan Menezes said: “Pubs and bars sit at the heart of every community. We have launched “Raising the Bar” as so many outlets have been impacted by this crisis and badly need help to open their doors again.

“We are calling on governments around the world to provide long-term recovery packages to help the hospitality sector.

“These businesses play an essential role in bringing people together to socialise and celebrate – something that we have all missed so much during this terrible crisis – and sustain hundreds of millions of jobs, which provide a first foot on the employment ladder for young people.”

From July 2020, the investment will support hospitality centres located in New York, London, Edinburgh, Dublin, Belfast, Mexico City, Sao Paulo, Shanghai, Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Nairobi, Dar es Salaam, Kampala and Sydney.

This $100m programme includes the $20m Community Fund announced in the US on 12 June.