Pubs reopen as caution urged over virus variant
Pubgoers in England, Scotland and Wales will be able to order a pint inside a pub for the first time in many months from today (Monday 17 May).
England has initiated step three of the Government's unlocking roadmap, meaning the return of indoor hospitality and household visits.
However, a variant of coronavirus first identified in India has become a cause for concern after a spike in cases in several areas across north west England and London.
Speaking at a Downing Street press conference on Friday, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said it was believed the B.1.617.2 variant was “more transmissible than the previous one” but it was unknown by how much.
He added: “I am told that if it’s only marginally more transmissible, we can continue more or less as planned.”
However, should the variant be “significantly more transmissible,” the Government would have “hard choices” ahead on how to return to normality.
Johnson encouraged people to enjoy their renewed freedoms but to “exercise caution and common sense” by social distancing where necessary and using free lateral flow tests.
Serious disruption
The variant could pose a “serious disruption” to the next step on the roadmap, when legal limits on social contacts are to be lifted from 21 June at the earliest, Johnson admitted.
Surge testing is taking place in several areas including in Blackburn with Darwen and Bolton and ministers have not ruled out the imposition of restrictions at local levels.
Night time economy adviser for Greater Manchester and operator Sacha Lord said he was "deeply concerned" about the possibility of local lockdowns.
"Greater Manchester has been in a state of lockdown for longer than most of the UK and we now find ourselves with the very familiar feeling of uncertainty about what the next few weeks hold," Lord said.
"As local lockdowns and delays have now been raised as possible options to control the variant, the Government must come forward immediately and provide specifics on how nightlife businesses will be financially supported if these ideas do come to fruition, including whether business rates will be extended.
“Floating these ideas without providing this information causes unnecessary stress and anxiety to business owners."
What’s more, voices in the night time economy have said the Prime Minister’s word have placed the sector “under a level of doubt.”
Beleaguered industry
The Night Time Industries Association (NTIA) has said nightclubs will need further financial support should they be unable to reopen on 21 June after being shut down in March 2020.
“Any delay will cost nightlife in England millions through lost revenue from torn-up plans put in place for reopening,” NTIA boss Micheal Kill said. “It would be a body blow for an already beleaguered industry."
He added: "If the Government is going to veer off the roadmap, they must act decisively and give businesses enough time to prepare and ensure proportionate levels of financial support and an extension of current reliefs are available for the businesses hardest hit by the change."
New rules
Some 45,000 pubs are estimated to reopen in the UK from today, serving 3m pints while 2,000 will be unable to open their doors due to limited space, according to the British Beer & Pub Association (BBPA).
Operators in England must serve customers in groups of six people or two households of any size indoors with no curfew limit and are required to store guest contact details for NHS Test & Trace.
Elsewhere, Welsh pubs can resume indoor trade from today alongside their English counterparts while pubs in Scotland will now be allowed to serve alcohol indoors with a 10.30pm curfew.
- Are you a pub operator in an area where surge testing is taking place? How confident are you about the potential of local restrictions? Contact rzvyl.unjxvaf@jeoz.pbz
