Prime Minister Boris Johnson has ordered cafes, pubs, bars and restaurants to close from tonight as the UK Government strengthens measures to stop the spread of Covid-19.
Speaking during his daily update he said: “We are telling cafes, pubs, bars and restaurants to close tonight as soon as they reasonably can and not reopen tomorrow.”
Other places llike nightclubs, cinemas and gyms will also follow.
Mr Johnson added that takeaways would be excluded from the new measures, which will be reviewed on a monthly basis.
UK Government to pay 80% of wages of employees not working
At the same briefing today, the Chancellor Rishi Sunak said the UK Government will pay 80% of wages for those employees not working, up to £2,500 a month.
Businesses will also not pay VAT until end of June.