Government ‘likely to shut pubs and restaurants in the North on Monday’

According to reports today, the government is ‘likely’ to shut pubs and restaurants in the North of England.

Ministers, scientists and officials are worried about the high rates of coronavirus infection in most of the North, including in Greater Manchester and the North West.

As a result, ministers are on the verge of imposing stricter lockdown measures, with Robert Peston of ITV News claiming ‘they are likely to impose closure of all hospitality venues – pubs and restaurants – for a period’.

Louis Hansel/Unsplash

The new restrictions are reportedly likely to be announced on Monday, but they could come even earlier.

The Health Secretary Matt Hancock is set to chair a gold command meeting with regional officials on Wednesday to review the situation, ITV reports.

Politicians in the North are reluctant to impose new lockdown restrictions, with the leaders of Manchester, Leeds and Newcastle city councils – Sir Richard Leese, Judith Blake and Nick Forbes – joining Liverpool mayor Joe Anderson to express their concerns to Matt Hancock.

These Northern leaders warned the Health Secretary that they will not be supporting further ‘economic lockdowns’, and have called for new powers to tackle the resurgence of coronavirus instead.

David Dixon / Geograph

Mayors and politicians in the affected areas are asking for financial compensation for affected businesses in their areas, with the Treasury reportedly looking at how to go about this.

That help may not happen before the closures are announced, however.