Scotland to ease pub rules

As of Monday (2 November), pubs and restaurants in many Scottish areas will be able to serve alcohol to customers again.  

Premises in level two of the country’s new five-tier system will be allowed to serve alcohol with a meal until 8pm, the announcement was made yesterday by Nicola Sturgeon, who also revealed that pubs in level three can reopen until 6pm, however they cannot serve alcohol. 

According to the BBC, the first minister is expected to reveal the level that each of the Scottish areas falls under this coming Thursday, with the system mirroring the same layout imposed in England, it is reported that Sturgeon said the government would be “deliberately cautious” when picking levels, stating “the situation is fragile and could go in the wrong direction, so we must take care.”

It follows an announcement yesterday by hospitality trade bodies in Scotland who called for a “strategic framework” to be implemented to support publicans and restaurant owners in the region. 

In a statement written by the group members said: “No other sector has been as heavily disrupted as hospitality and the planned framework looks set to provide further restrictions which may destroy businesses and wipe out jobs.”

Adding :”[Restrictions], must be done in a way which gives the incredibly valuable businesses in our sector the best possible chance of survival and a more equal shouldering of the burden at this time. If we are not careful, businesses will be closed for good and jobs permanently lost.”