Ordering at the bar could still be banned AFTER July 19 easing as councils force venues to keep table service and masks

ORDERING at the bar could still be banned after July 19 with councils forcing venues to keep some rules, it's reported.

Table service and masks in pubs may remain after Freedom Day in two weeks - despite Boris Johnson announcing later today the lifting of remaining Covid curbs.

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Masks will become voluntary in almost all settings and there will be an end to "table service only" in pubs, the Prime Minister will tell the nation.

Life will "return to normality as far as possible" as the PM sets out his plans on ending restrictions, scheduled for July 19.

The one-metre-plus social distancing rule will be lifted so punters in boozers can mingle and stand once again and they will not need to scan QR codes to enter venues.

But hospitality chiefs warned punters some pubs and restaurants may keep masks, table service and the rule-of-six, as doomster councillors aim to keep restrictions.

PUB ROW

Venues could keep the measures to reassure "reticent" customers, or if councils require them, The Telegraph reports.

Kate Nicholls, chief executive of trade body UK Hospitality, said: “There’s going to be customers who are expecting everything to fall away and there’s going to be places that they won't be able to do that."

She called on councils not to hammer pandemic-hit businesses with tough rules as they enforce Covid-risk assessments.

Ms Nicholls said: “I think there might be a temptation of local authorities, that needs to be resisted, to put in place actual fixed regulations or rules that are more restrictive than they need to be."; 

I think there might be a temptation of local authorities, that needs to be resisted, to put in place actual fixed regulations or rules that are more restrictive than they need to be

Kate Nicholls, chief executive of UK Hospitality

Yesterday, 24,258 positive cases were confirmed along with 15 deaths reported, down nearly two per cent week on week.

Hospitalisations were up 24 per cent, with 1,953 admitted suffering from the disease in the past seven days.

But with the arrival of upbeat new Health Secretary Sajid Javid Mr Johnson has won his battle against Cabinet naysayers and overly cautious docs to push on for a “maximalist” approach to lifting lockdown on July 19.

Top Cabinet Minister Robert Jenrick yesterday declared that the data was looking “very promising” and Stephen Powis, national medical director of NHS England, agreed the vaccine had “weakened” the link
between Covid cases and deaths.

DATA 'VERY PROMISING'

The PM is expected to say: “Thanks to the successful rollout of our vaccination programme, we are progressing cautiously through our roadmap.

“Today we will set out how we can restore people’s freedoms when we reach step 4.

“I must stress that the pandemic is not over and that cases will continue to rise over the coming weeks.”