Pubs and restaurants in many areas of Scotland will be able to serve alcohol indoors again from next week as Nicola Sturgeon EASES coronavirus curfew restrictions
- The First Minister made a raft of changes to the country's hospitality rules today
- Pubs in Level 3 - currently closed - can open until 6pm but not serve alcohol
- Curfew in the new Level 1 and 2 areas will be extended from 10pm to 10.30pm
- Pubs in Level 2 will also be allowed to serve alcohol indoors again to diners
Nicola Sturgeon relaxed Scotland's coronavirus lockdown rules today, allowing some pubs to serve alcohol indoors again from next week in a boost for the nation's beleaguered pubs.
The First Minister bowed to business pressure to make a raft of changes to the country's hospitality rules as she provided more detail about a new five-tier lockdown due to come into force on Monday.
Pubs in Level 3 which are currently closed by law will be allowed to reopen until 6pm but not serve alcohol, she told the Scottish Parliament, a move which will help those which also serve food.
Additionally, the curfew in the new Level 1 and 2 areas will be extended from 10pm to 10.30pm. Pubs in Level 2 will also be allowed to serve alcohol indoors again, but only to people eating a meal, and before 8pm.
Under restrictions currently in place, the only place thirsty Scots can drink indoors is at home.
Bars and licensed restaurants in five health board areas - Greater Glasgow and Clyde, Lanarkshire, Ayrshire and Arran, Lothian and Forth Valley - have been forced to close for all but takeaway services.
Pubs, bars, restaurants and cafes elsewhere in Scotland are only allowed to serve indoor customers between 6am and 6pm with a ban on alcohol inside, although alcoholic drinks can be served until 10pm in outdoor areas.
The First Minister said: 'For all of Scotland our aim is to get to Level 1 and then to Level 0 of the framework as quickly as it is possible to do.
'We know it is possible because over the summer we got to the very low levels of transmission that would be needed for that. If we can do that once we can do it again, but it will not be easy.'
She urged Scots to 'dig in', saying this could allow people to enjoy some more normality over the festive period.
The First Minister made a raft of changes to the country's hospitality rules as she provided more detail about a new five-tier lockdown due to come into force on Monday
Heatmap shows which parts of Scotland recorded the highest number of coronavirus cases in the most recent week up to October 25
Glasgow was still the country's hotspot in the week prior, when there were 800 fewer cases overall
Speaking about the restrictions, the First Minister said: 'It is difficult and frustrating, and getting more so by the day, especially as we head towards Christmas.
'If we dig in now and get Covid under more control, we perhaps open the door not to 100 per cent normality by Christmas, but hopefully more than we have right now. We all want to see that.'
The debate at Holyrood took place after Scotland recorded another 25 deaths from coronavirus and 1,327 positive tests in the past 24 hours.
Ms Sturgeon also warned that North and South Lanarkshire - a vast area between Glasgow and Edinburgh in the central belt, could be put into the top Level 4 next week.
She told Holyrood ministers wanted to avoid the move unless it was 'absolutely necessary', and said a decision would be delayed to the last minute because virus cases were 'stabilising' in the area.
In a debate on the new system, Ms Sturgeon said: 'As has been reported, we are considering whether the very high rate of transmission and hospital admissions in North and South Lanarkshire may necessitate a move for them to Level 4. These are the only areas currently being considered for Level 4.
'There have, however, been some encouraging signs in the last few days that the situation in Lanarkshire may have stabilised slightly.
'We will only take this decision if it is deemed absolutely necessary and I hope we can avoid it.'
On Tuesday, the Scottish Government published an updated draft of guidance on what restrictions would be in place under each of the five tiers applied to local authorities.
In Level 4, both indoor and outdoor hospitality businesses would close - including cafes, restaurants, pubs and bars.
However, takeaways for food and alcohol will be permitted.
The guidance also recommends against non-essential travel in or out of Level 4 areas and says there could be 'limits on travel distance, or a requirement to stay at home'.
Non-essential retail would also close in Level 4 areas, with the exception of clock and collect and outdoor retail.
Last week Ms Sturgeon signalled she was open to reviewing the curfew rules as she faced a barrage of criticism from the hospitality industry.
Outlining the new Level 0 - 4 system live on television on Friday she held out an olive branch to hospitality businesses who blasted the harsh new restrictions, which would place some level of barre on trading at all levels.
She said while she would listen to arguments about trying to keep some pubs and restaurants open at higher tiers but she would not promise to make changes.
A 'circuit breaker' lockdown has already been in force north of the border for a more than a fortnight, with bars and restaurants restricted from serving alcohol and shut altogether in much of the country. It has been extended until November 2, when the new system comes into operation.
https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMicGh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmRhaWx5bWFpbC5jby51ay9uZXdzL2FydGljbGUtODg4NTQ0MS9QdWJzLXJlc3RhdXJhbnRzLWFyZWFzLVNjb3RsYW5kLXNlcnZlLWFsY29ob2wtaW5kb29ycy13ZWVrLmh0bWzSAXRodHRwczovL3d3dy5kYWlseW1haWwuY28udWsvbmV3cy9hcnRpY2xlLTg4ODU0NDEvYW1wL1B1YnMtcmVzdGF1cmFudHMtYXJlYXMtU2NvdGxhbmQtc2VydmUtYWxjb2hvbC1pbmRvb3JzLXdlZWsuaHRtbA?oc=5
2020-10-27 17:17:00Z
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