A rule forcing Gedling borough pubs to serve a “substantial meal” with alcohol is set to be scrapped when the lockdown is eased, it emerged today.
Hospitality newsletter Propel is reporting that Boris Johnson wants to ditch the rule when restrictions are eased, which proved virtually unenforceable and left punters and landlords in Gedling borough alike confused.
Last year, the rules around pubs caused chaos as ministers struggled to clearly define what constituted a substantial meal.
Michael Gove declared a Scotch egg would suffice, while some pubs got away with serving bowls of chips with a pint.
Mr Johnson will set out a date for when pubs and restaurants can reopen when he announces the plan for ending lockdown in a speech on Monday, February 22.
Under the blueprint, activities that can take place outdoors will be prioritised because that is where the virus spreads less easily. It is believed outside markets are set to return before high street shops, and alfresco drinking and dining will be allowed before eating indoors.
The rules will be applied nationwide after ministers decided not to return to the regional system of tiers when they lift restrictions.
Government sources warned the plans are still “tentative” and, so far, only the earliest date schools can return has been agreed.
Foreign office minister James Cleverly told The Sun : “It seems things are heading in the right direction” for pupils to return next month.
He said: “If that continues, it gets to the place where it’s safe to do so we’ll then give schools enough notice so they can organise themselves to reopen.”
But he refused to be drawn further on which sectors might open up next. He said: “It is totally understandable people crave this move back to normality but, ultimately, the decisions about how we ease restrictions have to be guided by the science.
They will take into consideration the needs of the economy, people’s mental health, the needs of our children – all these things are incredibly important.”
The news comes after Professor Chris Whitty, England’s chief medical officer, revealed the UK is now past the peak of its second wave.
But vaccines minister Nadhim Zahawi has said Downing Street favours a cautious rollback so we “never have to go back into another severe lockdown”.
He said: “You’ve got to make sure that your vaccination programme has protected the top nine categories in phase one – that is 99% of mortality.”
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