Pubs in England Could Reopen as Early as June 22

LONDON:
Pubs in England could reopen as early as June 22 as UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson rushes to save around 3,500,000 jobs, it was reported on Monday.

Over the weekend it was reported that Johnson was striving to get the country back to normal by July, after Business Secretary Alok Sharma warned that lockdown restrictions could cause a “jobs bloodbath” for the hospitality sector, reports the Metro newspaper. In response, he created a group of ministers, branded the ”Save Summer Six”, whose mission is to get the economy up and running again within the next month.

At present, pubs, bars and restaurants are not due to reopen until at least July 4, but many have been continuing to serve takeaway amid the pandemic. The Ministers, including Chancellor Rishi Sunak, are now reportedly aiming for for pubs, restaurants and bars to reopen by June 22.

Whitehall sources have confirmed the date is in the works, The Financial Times said in a report. The hospitality industry has been one of worst-affected by the coronavirus pandemic, with Johnson previously urging people to avoid eating out on March 16.

The country was then put into lockdown just one week later. Since then, restaurants and bars have been installing see-through curtains, air purifiers and clear plexiglass screens in a bid to protect customers and staff when they do reopen, said the Metro newspaper report.

Trade association UK Hospitality have argued that current social distancing measures will make it hard for businesses to make a profit. Under current rules, people must keep at least two-metres away from anyone that does not live in their household, which means restaurants will have to restrict their capacity.