Pub bosses hit out at outdoor-only drinking plan from early April

PUB bosses have slammed an outdoor-only drinking plan set to start in early April and instead demanded the return of inside drinking.

It comes after The Sun revealed that pubs and restaurants will be allowed to serve outdoors from April if Covid-19 cases continue to fall.

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The news has infuriated industry leaders, who have backed demands for lockdown restrictions to be fully lifted by the end of April, when most over-50s are expected to have been vaccinated.

Patrick Dardis, chief executive of the Young’s pubs chain, said rain would make the outdoors-only idea unworkable and slammed it as "nonsense".

He said: "There is talk about opening pub gardens but I’m afraid that is just nonsense.

"It is a ridiculous idea that you can just open up in outside spaces. This is the United Kingdom."

He added: "It demonstrates that certain people in government have lost touch with the public on this and just do not understand.

"On what basis are they making these rules? It is just laughable – as was the 10pm curfew, as was the nonsense about what a 'substantial meal' was."

Mr Dardis said Young’s, which has more than 200 pubs, was losing £5million a month even after receiving state support such as business rates relief.

Tim Martin, chairman of pubs giant Wetherspoons, also criticised the beer gardens proposal over the weekend.

He said: "These decisions are made by ministers with no experience of business, or empathy for business.

"In my 41 years in business, it’s the least consultative and most authoritarian government I’ve experienced."

Mr Martin is now calling on the government to reopen pubs at the same time as non-essential shops in March.

He warned that the pub industry is "on its knees" and needs to reopen to save jobs.

He added: "Surely it is possible for the hospitality industry to reopen at the same time as non-essential shops, now that a vaccine exists, on the basis of the social distancing and hygiene regulations.

"Unless the industry does reopen on that basis, economic mayhem will inevitably follow."

Once pubs do reopen, it's not clear what the rules will be but venues were previously forced to shut at 11pm.

Pubs in Tier 2 areas were also only allowed to stay open if they served a "substantial meal" with alcohol and drink-only orders were banned.

Plus, pubs had to operate table service, allow for social distancing and ask customers to wear masks when away from their table.

The comments come after a row between pub groups and the government saw companies pull out of regular business round-tables in frustration.

A government spokesman told The Sun: ‘We are deeply disappointed that some pub leaders have decided to step back from meetings with ministers.

"As we plan our way out of restrictions, we will continue to engage relentlessly with the hospitality sector, as we have done throughout this pandemic.

"We understand that this is an extremely tough time for the hospitality sector, but we are supporting business with one of the most comprehensive and generous packages of business support in the world worth £280billion."

It comes as Britain smashed its coronavirus vaccine target over the weekend, with 15million Brits having received the first jab.

Takeaway pints are currently banned in the national lockdown, but you can get it for home delivery.

Meanwhile, food and non-alcoholic drinks are still able to be sold as takeaway items or through click-and-collect.