Pubs to close: Are all pubs closing in UK? Will pubs close tonight?
PUBS will close as part of new government measures which aim to curb the COVID-19 outbreak in the UK, the Prime Minister has announced. Are all pubs closing in the UK, and will they close tonight?
Coronavirus: Tim Martin says it's 'over the top' to close pubs
Coronavirus cases continue to climb in the UK, forcing the government to take increasingly draconian measures to combat the disease's spread through the country. New rules have closed public recreational places in a bid to stem the virus' hold as people ignore official advice to limit socialisation.
Are all pubs closing in the UK?
The Prime Minister has told cafes, pubs, clubs, restaurants, nightclubs, theatres, cinemas, gyms and leisure centres to close due to COVID-19.
The latest measures will mean they can no longer recieve customers in their doors, but they can still provide services such as takeaway.
They come into effect from tonight and apply across the country.
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The Prime Minister did not reveal how long the new restrictions would be in place, but said they would be subject to review.
Government officials will assess the situation every month, and decide whether it is time to relax the measures taken.
Restaurant and pub owners have long-feared a government ban would come into place, as it would potentially spell a death knell for hundreds of venues, with thousands of people potentially losing their jobs.
Amongst the objectors was Wetherspoons boss Tim Martin, who told Sky News he aimed to keep his company's 867 branches open.
Mr Martin said: "Our aim is for pubs open for the duration.
"This could go on for a long time.
"I think that once you shut them down it's very difficult.
"Supermarkets are very, very crowded. Pubs are much less crowded."
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"There's hardly been any transmission of the virus within pubs and I think it's over the top to shut them.
"That's a commercial view but also a common-sense view."
Hospitality industry leaders fears of job losses may be temporarily quashed thanks to new government initiatives, however.
The government announced today it would step in and provide salaries to people in danger of losing their jobs due to the virus.
Chancellor Rishi Sunak said: "Today I can announce that in the first time of our history, the government is going to step in and help pay people's wages.
"We're setting up a new coronavirus job retention scheme.
"Any employer in the country small or large, charitable or non-profit, will be eligible for the scheme.
"Government grants will cover 80% of the salary of retained workers up to a total of £2,500 a month - that's just above the median income."