London
Pubs in England reopen on Saturday for the first time since late March, bringing cheer to drinkers and the industry but fears of public disorder and fresh coronavirus cases.
The move is part of a wider government plan to relaunch the hospitality, tourism and culture sectors and help the UK economy recover from more than three tough months of lockdown. Restaurants, cinemas, galleries, museums, libraries and hairdressers can all welcome back the public, as can hotels, campsites, bed and breakfast, and self-catering accommodation.
Motoring body the RAC predicted the busiest weekend so far this year, with an estimated 10.5 million drivers on the roads, as overnight stays are allowed again. But the focus of the reopening is on pubs, which have played an integral part in British social and cultural life for centuries.
“We are all expecting it to be a historic day for the industry,” said Clive Watson, founder of the City Pub Group, which operates 47 pubs in southern England and Wales. “It’s been incredibly tough for us and for our customers, so we hope this can provide a much-needed boost.”
The first nationwide closure of pubs since the Great Plague of 1665 has contributed to a record slump in beer sales and compounded existing financial difficulties in the sector. Takings could be up nearly 75 percent to £210 million ($262 million, 233 million euros), according to the Centre for Economics and Business Research, a think-tank.—APP
