Ministers have been criticised for not extending rules allowing UK pubs to sell takeaway pints after the end of next month.
Pubs were given the option to sell takeaway alcohol in July 2020 without having to apply to their local councils for permission, as part of a wider effort to limit the spread of coronavirus.
Landlords were able to sell alcohol, sometimes through hatches, in order to keep their businesses afloat during lockdowns. Although the measures were extended twice, the Home Office has said the rules will expire on 30 September.
Pubs that want to continue serving takeaway alcohol will need permission from their local councils.
The British Beer and Pub Association called the decision “disappointing”. Emma McClarkin, the group’s chief executive, said: “This simple change has allowed pubs to offer takeaway options and host a greater range of events for their communities in recent years.
“The decision not to extend will mean businesses across the country will now have to go through potentially lengthy application and approval processes. We need government to support our pubs and allow them to diversify and innovate, not hold them back with more red tape and unnecessary regulation.”
Defending its decision, the Home Office said it had sought opinion in the form of a consultation, and the majority of respondents wanted a return to the pre-Covid rules.
One year after the rules were introduced, nearly 10,000 licensed premises had permanently closed and the sector lost more than £87bn in sales as a result of the pandemic, according to UK Hospitality.
The rules came into effect in 2020 as pavement licences were made permanent to allow more customers to eat outside under the first ever hospitality strategy to support the reopening and resilience of the sector.
