Arab Press

بالشعب و للشعب
Tuesday, Mar 17, 2026

Pub landlords find way around lockdown as Brits drink takeaway pints al fresco

Britain’s boozers aren’t officially due to re-open until July at the earliest, but landlords have found ways to serve cold pints during the lockdown.
All bars, clubs and restaurants were ordered on March 20 to close for the foreseeable future as the Government tried to contain the spread of coronavirus. But as the weather is getting hotter and emergency measures are gradually eased, pubs have been serving drinks on the go for people to enjoy al fresco.

Staff at the Althorp pub, in Wandsworth, London, were seen wearing gloves and protective visors as they carried drinks on trays to thirsty putners. Customers took their drinks onto the nearby common as they soaked up the sun.

Visitors on Brighton beach were seen carrying beer in plastic cups as Britain was blessed with 28°C earlier this week. Among those taking advantage of this loophole was actor Laurence Fox, who was spotted sipping a pint in London’s Primrose Hill on Monday.

As people head to parks and beaches for a cold one with their pals, concerns have been raised about whether social distancing can be easily followed.

One drinker on Brighton’s seafront told ITV’s Good Morning Britain: ‘I know we’re down here drinking beer so it looks like we’re saying what’s good for us is not good for everyone else, but if we carry on the way we’re going I think we’re going to have a major lockdown in two weeks, the way that we let the restrictions up.

‘In two weeks I think we’re going to see a massive rise in the deaths again. ‘I think we should be more stricter like Spain and none of us be allowed out.’

Mayor of the London borough of Hackney Phil Glanville has concerns over the number of people gathering around the area’s Broadway Market, where a number of cafes and pubs are selling takeaways.

Last month he told the Hackney Gazette: ‘Police and council enforcement officers were deployed to the area on Sunday, and, from this weekend, we are proposing to suspend parking, close Broadway Market to through-traffic and deploy additional police and council officers to advise people and businesses to stick to the guidance.’

Industry body UK Hospitality has submitted a 75-page document to ministers, giving a first glimpse of what bars and restaurants could look like when they are officially allowed to open.

Proposals include condiments and cutlerly not being left on tables, menus being cleaned after every use, restrictions on customers hanging around the bar, socially distanced tape on the floor and an end to hotel buffets.
Newsletter

Related Articles

Arab Press
0:00
0:00
Close
Saudi Arabia Targets South African Professionals in New Recruitment Drive Amid Regional Uncertainty
Formula One Faces Major Financial Hit as Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grands Prix Cancelled Amid Middle East Conflict
U.S. and Saudi Firms Launch Local Production of Attritable Drone Systems in Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia and UAE Warn Rising Gulf Tensions Could Endanger Regional Security
Saudi Arabia Rejects Claims It Encouraged Prolonged War With Iran
Saudi Arabia to Host World’s Largest Single-Cell Protein Plant as Food Security Push Accelerates
Saudi Crown Prince Urges Trump to Continue Military Pressure on Iran
Iran Intensifies Drone Campaign Against Saudi Arabia as Gulf Conflict Escalates
When Is Eid al-Fitr 2026? Saudi Arabia Awaits Moon Sighting to Confirm End of Ramadan
When Is Eid al-Fitr 2026? Saudi Arabia Awaits Moon Sighting to Confirm End of Ramadan
Iranian Missile Strike Damages Five U.S. Refueling Aircraft at Saudi Air Base
Iranian Missile Strike Damages Five U.S. Refueling Aircraft at Saudi Air Base
Washington State Pilot Among Six U.S. Airmen Killed in Military Aircraft Crash Over Iraq
Severe Storm Threat Looms Over Washington as Tornado Risk and Damaging Winds Target Mid-Atlantic
Trump Supports FCC Warning to Broadcasters Over Iran War Reporting
Trump Supports FCC Warning to Broadcasters Over Iran War Reporting
Saudi Stocks Edge Lower as Tadawul All Share Index Slips Slightly at Market Close
Iranian Missile and Drone Strike Targets Saudi Arabia’s Prince Sultan Air Base Hosting US Aircraft
Saudi Air Defenses Intercept Drone Over Eastern Province as Iranian Strike Campaign Intensifies
Middle East War Reshapes Gulf Economies as Saudi Arabia and Oman Gain Strategic Leverage While UAE Faces Economic Shock
Iranian Ambassador in Riyadh Blames ‘Enemies’ for Attacks Across the Gulf
Israeli Envoy Ron Dermer Reportedly Visits Saudi Arabia for Discussions on Potential Lebanon Talks
Formula One Cancels Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grands Prix Scheduled for April
Iran’s Ambassador in Riyadh Rejects Claims Tehran Targeted Saudi Oil Facilities
Saudi Arabia Declares 2026 ‘Year of Artificial Intelligence’ in Major Push for Data-Driven Economy
Saudi Arabia’s 2018 Budget Signals Strong Push for Non-Oil Economic Growth
Pakistan Envoy in Riyadh Says Regional Diplomacy Intensifying to Prevent Wider Middle East War
Saudi Arabia Intercepts Dozens of Drones as Regional Strikes Kill Two in Oman
Saudi Arabia Redirects Oil Exports to Red Sea Ports as Strait of Hormuz Tensions Escalate
Saudi Arabia Intercepts Missile and Drone Barrage as Regional Conflict Intensifies
Iran Expands Drone and Missile Campaign Across Gulf as Conflict With US and Israel Intensifies
Muslims Worldwide Await Saudi Moon Sighting to Confirm Eid al-Fitr 2026 Date
F1 Calendar Faces Major Disruption as Middle East Conflict Threatens Bahrain and Saudi Races
Trump Says Most US Aircraft Hit in Saudi Base Attack Suffered Minimal Damage
Trump Says Most US Aircraft Hit in Saudi Base Attack Suffered Minimal Damage
Strait of Hormuz Crisis Forces Saudi Arabia Into Major Oil Production Shut-In
Strait of Hormuz Crisis Forces Saudi Arabia Into Major Oil Production Shut-In
Saudi Arabia Slashes Oil Output as Strait of Hormuz Crisis Cuts Deep Into Gulf Revenues
Saudi Arabia’s Cultural Scene Presses Ahead as Nation Navigates Regional War
Saudi-Pakistan Defence Pact Faces Real-World Constraints as Iran War Escalates
Saudi Arabia Offers Two Million Barrels of Crude From Red Sea as War Disrupts Gulf Exports
Formula One Faces Tens of Millions in Lost Revenue if Bahrain and Saudi Arabia Races Are Cancelled
Formula One Set to Cancel Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grands Prix Amid Escalating Middle East War
Saudi Arabia Downs Dozens of Iranian Drones in Major Defensive Operation
Saudi Arabia Cuts Oil Output by About Twenty Percent as Iran War Disrupts Gulf Energy Flows
Formula One Set to Cancel Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grands Prix Amid Escalating Iran War
Asian Energy Security Tested as Strait of Hormuz Disruption Threatens Oil Supplies
Iran Sets Three Conditions for Ending Regional War as Diplomatic Efforts Intensify
Saudi Arabia Launches Royal Institute of Anthropology to Examine Social Transformation
Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif Arrives in Saudi Arabia for High-Level Talks
×