Takeaway pints to be axed in pubs as major change comes in later this year

manchestereveningnews.co.uk:

Pubs will be subjected to a major change in the coming months as temporary pandemic licensing rules are set to expire. In 2020, landlords were provided special permission to serve customers on the street via hatches after they were forced to close due to lockdown rules.

Throughout the pandemic, the government saw fit to extend this special permission twice. However, the permission and any conditions related to it were temporary and the government has confirmed that it will not extend it once again, the BBC reports.

This means pubs will be unable to continue the 'takeaway' practice from September 30 of this year. Try MEN Premium for FREE by clicking here for no ads, fun puzzles and brilliant new features The British Beer and Pub Association marked the decision as 'disappointing' and said it would force pubs to suffer from a "lengthy application and approval process".

Chief executive of the Association, Emma McClarkin, said: "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." Join our WhatsApp Top Stories and Breaking News group by clicking this link Because the new permissions granted to pubs were automatic, an application for an off-sales alcohol licence didn't need to be made when the pub already had an on-sales alcohol licence.