Nicola Sturgeon extends Scotland’s circuit-breaker & booze ban for another WEEK

SCOTLAND’S pubs and restaurants will remain under a strict circuit-breaker lockdown for another week, Nicola Sturgeon revealed today.

The First Minister confirmed the news at her daily coronavirus briefing, just as Boris Johnson was again refusing Sir Keir Starmer’s demands for the same measures in England.

⚠️ Read our coronavirus live blog for the latest news & updates

Under the current restrictions, bars and restaurants in the so-called “Central Belt” between Glasgow and Edinburgh must be shut and can only operate a takeaway service. Licensed cafes can open until 6pm but cannot serve alcohol.

Across the rest of the country, hospitality businesses can only open until 6pm indoors, without serving booze. Alcohol can be served in outside areas until 10pm.

The curbs were originally in place from October 9 to 25 – next Sunday – but Ms Sturgeon has now confirmed they will be extended by a week until 6am on November 2, when  like in England.

Speaking at St Andrew’s House, the First Minister said: “Following a meeting of the Cabinet this morning, I can confirm that we have decided to extend these measures for a further week.

“This is, first and foremost, a public health decision – although we have grounds for cautious optimism that the restrictions are having an effect.

“The clinical advice to Cabinet is that it would not be safe to lift them as early as Monday.

“The extension allows us to transition more smoothly to the new level system that we hope will be introduced on November 2.”

It comes as  – the most in one day north of the Border since May 21.

There were also  – the most ever in a single day.

Scotland faces a five-tier system for curbs on social freedoms with near-full lockdowns imposed in hardest-hit areas,

The Scottish Government will add two extra risk levels onto the English model.

There would be an upper “extreme” tier as well as a lower “Tier Zero”.

Scots living in areas with the highest level would be hit by restrictions almost as severe as March’s full lockdown, when there was a “stay at home” order, it was reported.

Schools would not automatically shut if they were in Tier 5, though a “judgment” on closure would be made on a case-by-case basis.

The three middle tiers are said to “broadly mirror” the English system.

And under Tier 0, life would resemble pre-pandemic normality, it’s claimed.

Worried  for their battered sector.

Scottish Beer and Pub Association boss Emma McClarkin said: “These comments will be met with complete dismay by operators whose livelihoods are on the line.”

The blast comes as government health chief Professor Jason Leitch claimed pub and restaurant closures may have “blunted” the Covid spread.

National clinical director Prof Leitch said the shutdown that began on October 9 appeared to have slowed the “doubling time” of infections.

Glasgow City Council have warned  if they keep trading.

The authority said  that do not qualify for an exemption which allows licensed cafes to stay open.

Environmental health and  since additional measures were introduced.

Yesterday Manchester was confirmed to go into Tier 3 on Friday – despite opposition from Mayor Andy Burnham over the financial package.

The PM announced the region would get the £60million in cash anyway, despite him rejecting the offer.

Yet Manchester’s night time tsar has announced the city will start legal action to try and block it.

Sacha Lord said today: “Last night we started the Judicial Review into the legality of implementing emergency restrictions on Greater Manchesters hospitality sector, without scientific evidence.

“A pre-action letter has been filed and we await the Health Secretary’s response. The fight goes on.”