A petition has been launched to help save Bristol hospitality venues in "crisis" as a change in the law means outdoor seating is set to end in October. Around 40 venues with outdoor seating on pavements and on roads will have to remove them when a temporary law expires next month.
The law - Traffic Orders Procedure (Coronavirus Amendment) Regulations 2020 - has made it easier for local authorities to authorise extended road closures so that pubs could accommodate customers without breaking social distancing rules. This means dozens of venues will have to remove tables, drinking huts and outdoor decking in a matter of weeks.
Ben Cheshire, landlord at The Coronation in Southville, previously told BristolLive that the pub would lose as much as 80 per cent of its trade if they are forced to remove this outdoor space due to changes in drinking habits.
