Ministers target July 4th for reopening of England’s pubs and restaurants

[editor]

Earlier than you'd ever believe possible.

Ministers have identified June 22 as the date when they hope to reopen England’s pubs and restaurants serving customers outdoors, amid fears of mass job losses if the hospitality sector misses out on the lucrative summer season. Chancellor Rishi Sunak is among half a dozen ministers — calling themselves the “save summer six” — seeking to accelerate the reopening of the economy.

The hospitality sector was not due to open until July 4. Downing Street said no date had been set for the reopening of beer gardens, terraces and marquees, but three senior Whitehall officials said the target date was June 22. The cabinet will discuss the plan on Tuesday

Some scientists are worried that Boris Johnson is lifting lockdown too early, risking a resurgence of Covid-19 infections, but the prime minister is now convinced that the economy is facing a cliff-edge unless it starts to reopen. The Sunday Times reported that Mr Johnson simply said “Christ!” when warned by Alok Sharma, business secretary, last week that 3.5m jobs were at risk in the hospitality sector.

Mr Sharma has been asked by Mr Johnson to make the case for cutting Britain’s 2m social distancing rule to allow for more customers to be served in commercial premises. The business secretary spoke to his Danish counterpart on Sunday to discuss the operation of that country’s 1m rule.

Robert Jenrick, housing and local government secretary, is reviewing planning rules to make it easier for pubs and bars to use outdoor areas. Cabinet office minister Michael Gove, transport secretary Grant Shapps, and culture secretary Oliver Dowden are also involved in the “save summer” project. Mr Sunak is among those who would like to see a full reopening of pubs and restaurants before July 4, with social distancing rules in place. Meanwhile, the government confirmed it would open up places of worship for private prayer on June 15, the same day as non-essential retail.

Ministers target June 22 for reopening of England’s pubs and restaurants

Outdoors-only move part of ‘save summer’ project for crippled hospitality industry

www.ft.com

 

[Steel Icarus]

It's nuts. It's just nuts

 

[cupid_stunt]

It's worth noting that the WHO guidelines on social distancing is 1m, and several countries have gone with that, so maybe it's not too bad.

Also, it's only for the reopening of beer gardens, terraces and marquees, and we know the risk is massively reduced when outdoors, when social distancing is observed, but that's going to be hard to enforce.

Some of the seafront bars here are already open, offering a take-away service, then people sit on the walls outside, probably better if they could sit on the terraces TBH.

Not sure that I'll rushing back anytime soon.

 

[andysays]

Having set a "target", they will now feel obliged to meet it, whatever the circumstances

 

[emanymton]

There can't be that many places were it would be financially viable to open just the open air sections anyway?

If any places do open we then have the spectacle of big crowds of people trying to get into places with space for only a handful.

 

[miss direct]

Dear God, no! I will be drinking at home/in the park for some time to come and not going near a pub, open or closed!

 

[High Voltage]

<shrugs>Just 'cause they're being allowed to open doesn't necessarily mean anyone'll actually use them

I know I shan't - not until AT LEAST there's a vaccine that's proven to work AND I've had it AND "other stuff"

 

[Spymaster]

I would happily use a pub that allowed me to buy a beer and sit outside right now.

I think we're in real danger of the business closures and impending job losses being more destructive than the virus now and anything that returns people to work should be tried.

There should be a poll on this "would you use a pub on June 22?" .... etc

 

[marty21]

I'd sit in a pub garden tbf, my local opened (in the garden) last week , just for food and drink takesway, and just over the weekend. I have a hotel booking for early July that I had been thinking of cancelling or postponing , that might now go ahead. I'm guessing breakfast in bed will feature .

 

[co-op]

I would happily use a pub that allowed me to buy a beer and sit outside right now.

This. We have communal gardens where I live and all of the neighbours and us have been sitting around socialising all through this thing, just keeping distance, probably more like the 1m than 2 at times. What’s the difference with doing this at a pub garden?

Only problem I can see is people being stupid when drunk but then you’d never reopen the pubs if you were really worried about that

 

[Marty1]

Me and the gf will probably make a beeline for lunch at Chiquito’s at the earliest opportunity tbf.

Think it’s important to support the pub and restaurant industry who have been hit so hard.

 

[Bahnhof Strasse]

Some of the seafront bars here are already open, offering a take-away service, then people sit on the walls outside, probably better if they could sit on the terraces TBH.

Not sure that I'll rushing back anytime soon.

Hmmm, we were thinking of a trip the seaside soon, the Brighton webcams show the beaches are pretty empty during the week, how's it in Worthing? Would be great if we can have a couple of beers...

 

[Bahnhof Strasse]

We've already been to the Barley Mow in Tilford twice, it faces a large cricket green, so serves over the wall and drink on the green, you can use the toilets in the pub.

 

[Pickman's model]

Having set a "target", they will now feel obliged to meet it, whatever the circumstances

Or to shoot things at it

 

[Roadkill]

Given the difference in infection rates across different parts of the UK, IMO this is a decision that should really be made at local authority level rather than by central government. It's probably okay to reopen pubs cautiously across much of the country, but in some places - here, for a start - infection rates are still quite high so it's more of a risk. I'm missing my local a great deal, but if it does reopen on 22nd I'll take a good look at the local stats before deciding to go, and will certainly avoid it for the first few days, when it's likely to be busy...

 

[Pickman's model]

Me and the gf will probably make a beeline for lunch at Chiquito’s at the earliest opportunity tbf.

Think it’s important to support the pub and restaurant industry who have been hit so hard.

Perhaps you should more time doing that and less time posting here

 

[Bahnhof Strasse]

Having set a "target", they will now feel obliged to meet it, whatever the circumstances

As in the quarantine that comes in to force today, they announced it, everyone said it will utterly kill the travel industry, cost >1m jobs and have no effect on the virus, yet they have gone ahead with it anyway and will just drop it after three weeks, so they save face, but still do the damage...

 

[William of Walworth]

Trying not to be wearing my 'missing the pub a fuck of a lot' hat here , but it's early in the day so ....

With suitable care, we would definitely visit a pub garden.

Here in Swansea there are very few pubs with outside seating though, which would means more people and thus need a lot of extra care having to be taken.

In any case, I suspect Wales will apply pub reopening much more cautiously, and I have no problem with that.

I've for ages been working 'July at the very earliest' [or maybe August/September, even] into my thinking anyway, so that helps guard against impatience etc.

 

[Pickman's model]

Trying not to be wearing my 'missing the pub a fuck of a lot' hat here , but it's early in the day so ....

With suitable care, we would definitely visit a pub garden.

Here in Swansea there are very few pubs with outside seating though, which would means more people and thus need a lot of extra care having to be taken.

In any case, I suspect Wales will apply pub reopening much more cautiously, and I have no problem with that.

I've for ages been working 'July at the very earliest' [or maybe August/September, even] into my thinking, so that helps guard against impatience etc.

In the meantime just buy some tinnies and drink them in a pub garden

 

[William of Walworth]

In the meantime just buy some tinnies and drink them in a pub garden

We have a beach here, thankfully
And a back garden -- we're lucky

 

[cupid_stunt]

Hmmm, we were thinking of a trip the seaside soon, the Brighton webcams show the beaches are pretty empty during the week, how's it in Worthing? Would be great if we can have a couple of beers...

Well, it never gets as busy as Brighton, and certainly hasn't been as busy as normal on hot sunny days, and even less since the weather hasn't been as good. But, I am not sure if the public loos have re-opened nor if the seafront bars are letting people use their loos, so that could be an issue.

 

[Bahnhof Strasse]

Well, it never gets as busy as Brighton, and certainly hasn't been as busy as normal on hot sunny days, and even less since the weather hasn't been as good. But, I am not sure if the public loos have re-opened nor if the seafront bars are letting people use their loos, so that could be an issue.

Ah yeah, when we drove through Littlehampton I understand the lavs were open, which may have been the reason it was so busy. Apparently in Bournemouth there is a mountain of turds behind the beach huts

 

[Artaxerxes]

Well, it never gets as busy as Brighton, and certainly hasn't been as busy as normal on hot sunny days, and even less since the weather hasn't been as good. But, I am not sure if the public loos have re-opened nor if the seafront bars are letting people use their loos, so that could be an issue.

Plenty more piss in the sea.

 

[MrSki]

I have been drinking Weston's Vintage in the park with a book. I wish they would open the toilets!

There is a pub here that is already selling take away beers in plastic glasses which are been drunk on the pavement outside.

 

[Artaxerxes]

I have been drinking Weston's Vintage in the park with a book. I wish they would open the toilets!

There is a pub here that is already selling take away beers in plastic glasses which are been drunk on the pavement outside.

Something that doesn't seem to get highlighted enough is the environmental aspects of dealing with Covid, there's talk of massive upticks in home deliveries and items doled out in single use plastic that really concerns me.

A lot of work and progress had been made before this in trying to start people thinking about using own containers, minimizing plastic use.

 

[killer b]

calling themselves the “save summer six”

what is wrong with these people.

 

[existentialist]

what is wrong with these people.

Clever branding. Not "save our skins", or "save the profits of the people to whom we are actually accountable". No, let's fake it up as "Save the Great Traditional British People's Summer", and they'll be flocking out in droves. Which, TBF, appears likely, given the extremity of a lot of the behaviours being exhibited around lockdown so far.

And which conveniently paints the more conservative approach, per Wales, Scotland, and NI, to managing infection as one of joylessness and not letting people have summer fun.

 

[littlebabyjesus]

Given the difference in infection rates across different parts of the UK, IMO this is a decision that should really be made at local authority level rather than by central government. It's probably okay to reopen pubs cautiously across much of the country, but in some places - here, for a start - infection rates are still quite high so it's more of a risk. I'm missing my local a great deal, but if it does reopen on 22nd I'll take a good look at the local stats before deciding to go, and will certainly avoid it for the first few days, when it's likely to be busy...

This has been the problem from the start. Lack of localism, treating this as one big country-wide outbreak instead of a number of much smaller local outbreaks with their own timings and dynamics. This government is incapable of thinking in terms of devolving control.

Here in London, this stuff is already happening tbh. The food court by the canal in Camden was open yesterday for the first time and lots of pubs are now opening for takeaway. People are taking things into their own hands.

 

[existentialist]

This has been the problem from the start. Lack of localism, treating this as one big country-wide outbreak instead of a number of much smaller local outbreaks with their own timings and dynamics. This government is incapable of thinking in terms of devolving control.

Here in London, this stuff is already happening tbh. The food court by the canal in Camden was open yesterday for the first time and lots of pubs are now opening for takeaway. People are taking things into their own hands.

I wonder to what degree that's driven by an awareness (or perception) that government aren't exactly taking the whole thing that seriously (vide the Cummings Peregrinations, about which I suspect we may be about to learn more), and are unlikely to unleash the full force of the law on culprits.

 

[Pickman's model]

We have a beach here, thankfully
And a back garden -- we're lucky

In that case just leave a few ashtrays full of cigarette butts and empty and half-empty glasses about your garden for the proper ambience