Boris Johnson to scrap 10pm pub curfew in a bid to boost hospitality sector amid pandemic

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson plans to scrap the 10 pm curfew on pubs and restaurants under his new three-tier approach to prevent the surge of Coronavirus cases. According to The Sun, Johnson plans to extend opening hours until 11pm in a bid to get Britons into the Christmas spirit. Under the new winter COVID plan, restaurants and pubs can take last orders at 10pm and diners can take an extra hour to finish their meal. The new plan is aimed at providing a boost to the hospitality sector, which has been ravaged by the unprecedented pandemic. 

While speaking to the media outlet, a person close to the UK PM said that the 10pm last orders and being allowed to stay longer “sounds eminently sensible”. He also added that new restrictions could be initiated in some areas including travel bans and curbs on overnight stays. 

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As per reports, Johnson will convene his Cabinet on Sunday before formally announcing his strategy in Parliament on Monday. His COVID winter plan will begin after the current national restrictions end on December 2. Under the new rules, England will move back to a three-tier system with regional restrictions - before rules are relaxed for Christmas. 

England to return to three-tiered system 

According to Associated Press, Johnson’s office on Saturday said that the government plans to return to using a three-tiered system of localised restrictions in England, with areas facing different measures based on the severity of the outbreaks. The office added that more communities are expected to be placed in the two highest virus alert categories.

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Further, the British government also confirmed plans to begin a nationwide COVID-19 vaccine program next month, assuming regulators approve a vaccine against the deadly virus. The government will also increase mass testing in an effort to suppress the virus until vaccines can be rolled out. 

Meanwhile, earlier this week, Health Secretary Matt Hancock had said that the lockdown has been successful in slowing the spread of the virus, however, he stressed that people needed to keep following the rules to keep cases down. The new coronavirus cases have started to drop across the UK, with a number of positive tests during the past seven days falling 13.8 per cent from the week before. As per reports, nearly 2,861 COVID-related deaths were registered over the last seven-day period, 17 fewer than a week earlier. The infection rate, however, remains high at 244 cases for every 100,000 people. 

(Image: AP) 

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