Olivia PowellThe UK government has announced that all pubs, bars, restaurants and other hospitality venues will have a 10pm curfew from Thursday, 24 September.
Business within the nighttime and hospitality sectors will also be restricted to table service only by law.
The full measures will be set out by the prime minister in the House of Commons, with Boris Johnson addressing the nation via a live broadcast at 8pm today, 22 September.
Michael Kill, CEO of NTIA, said: “This announcement of a 10pm curfew for hospitality is yet another devastating blow to the already beleaguered night-time economy, struggling to survive and in desperate need of sector-specific financial support from the Government. This curfew will lead to the demise of many of our most beloved cultural and entertainment venues.
“Businesses in the night-time economy are both shocked and disappointed by the Government’s continued targeting of restrictions on late-night venues and bars, partially open at a fraction of their capacity, when they have admitted that the majority of transmission takes place in households. As a result of this measure, we foresee a surge of unregulated events and house parties which are the real hot beds of infection, attended by frustrated young people denied access to safe and legitimate night-time hospitality venues”