Coronavirus: ‘Super Saturday’ revellers told they must drink responsibly as pubs reopen

People planning on heading out to enjoy the reopening of pubs and restaurants this weekend have been told “it has never been more important to drink responsibly”.

Saturday is the first day that people in England will be able to drink a pint in a pub or order a meal inside for over three months after the outbreak of coronavirus.

Many businesses have been rushing to make sure they are ready for so-called “Super Saturday” after Boris Johnson announced last week that they could reopen from 4 July.

Strict social distancing still needs to be in place, with contactless payments, table service and staff wearing personal protective equipment, but there are still concerns that the volume of people heading out for the first time could lead to disorder and violence in some areas – plus a potential spike in COVID-19 cases.

While the weather forecast for the weekend does not look at hot as last week when temperatures reached over 30C (86F), the current conditions look dry and mild, meaning pub gardens are likely to be busy.

Hospitals have been told to make preparations for a surge of patients in A&Es this weekend.

An NHS spokesperson told Sky News: “Nurses, doctors and other NHS staff have been working around the clock dealing with the biggest global threat in a generation, and while they will be there for anyone who needs them, we know the public will want to avoid tying them up needlessly and putting others at risk by over-indulging this weekend.”

And president of the Royal College of Emergency Medicine, Dr Katherine Henderson, said: “If you go to A&E because you’re plastered, you end up stretching the health service further and potentially put others at risk.

“Not only do you risk accidentally infecting someone with coronavirus because you don’t know you have it, but you are taking up the time of doctors who could be treating patients whose lives are in danger.

“It has never been more important that our emergency departments are for absolute emergencies only, and it has never been more important that people drink responsibly.”

What are the guidelines for pubs and restaurants?

• Indoor and outdoor spaces can be used.
• Customers should provide contact details to the business and they should be seated at tables when indoors.
• People can go to these venues indoors as a household/bubble or with another household/bubble.
• Outdoors, people can meet in groups of up to 6 from as many household.
• Customers can use toilets but they must be cleaned regularly with hand-washing facilities provided and social distancing adhered to.

The Rose and Crown pub in Tooting, south London, told Sky News: “We will be only serving a limited number of customers to comply with the rules and for limited hours, with a maximum stay of three, as far as we are aware other local pubs are doing similar. It is our responsibility to promote sensible drinking.”

Other pubs have been sharing their “house rules” on social media so that their customers know what they need to do when they arrive.

Some publicans have decided not to open up this weekend, saying they are not yet ready to operate safely.

The Police Federation of England and Wales said with many people travelling to see family and friends this weekend, it could be as busy as policing New Year’s Eve.

John Apter, chair of the federation, is calling for people to act responsibly and think about the impact on public services.

“I know that there is a lot of frustration out there and business need to start making money, but public safety must be paramount and pressure on public services must be considered,” Mr Apter said.

“I would urge the public to be responsible, sensible, and mindful of the restrictions that are still in place.

“The public have shown support for their key workers during lockdown; they can continue to give support by behaving sensibly now that the restrictions are easing.”

National Police Chiefs’ Council lead for Alcohol Licensing and Harm Reduction, Deputy Chief Constable Rachel Kearton, said: “The vast majority of drinkers are responsible but we know some people will drink to excess and become vulnerable to harm or indeed cause harm to others.

“The key advice is to know your limits, plan your day and consider how you will get home safely.

“Anti-social and criminal behaviour is not acceptable and police continue to work with the night time economy to maximise safety and cut crime.”

Cllr Katrina Wood, vice chairman of the Local Government Association’s Safer and Stronger Communities Board, told Sky News they are urging everyone to avoid anti-social behaviour and to keep public spaces litter-free.

“Councils will be working with police, businesses and other partners to ensure existing and new requirements are complied with, and people are able to enjoy a drink or a meal safely,” she added.

The warnings come as it emerged that some areas could soon follow Leicester in being forced into a local lockdown because of spikes in coronavirus cases.

Sky News understands that a list of 36 “at-risk” areas has been drawn up, where restrictions could be implemented within “just days”.

(c) Sky News 2020: Coronavirus: ‘Super Saturday’ revellers told they must drink responsibly as pubs reopen