A Maldon pub landlord was featured in a BBC Radio 4 broadcast on the effects of the pandemic on the High Street this week.

Landlord James Burrell-Cook and The Queen Victoria pub in Spital Road, Maldon, were featured in the broadcast scheduled at 1.45pm on Tuesday, 9 February. The mini-series was made up of five episodes and James was interviewed in the second.

James told Maldon Nub News: "It's about the how the High Street has been impacted by the pandemic and produced by Whistledown Productions for the BBC. I was asked to be a part of it last December."

He added: "I feel the pandemic has impacted the High Street in so many ways.

"Thriving and profitable businesses are at the brink of collapse even with the funding given. The government are out of touch with how small businesses work and the cashflows needed to survive - many individuals have not been able to claim grants for loss of earnings.

"What will be left of local business will affect thousands of individuals - for example jobs, with no shops left, and repaying debt that should have led to recovery last year and bounce back loans that you're unable to bounce back from because you're closed."