Breaking: Booze banned in Welsh pubs from Friday
Pubs, bars, restaurants and cafes in Wales will be forced to close on Friday as the country tightens its national restrictions ahead of Christmas, first minister Mark Drakeford has announced.
From 6pm on Friday, hospitality venues will be banned from serving alcohol at any point of day or night. Food will only be available via takeaway.
Cinemas, bowling alleys, bingo halls and other indoor entertainment venues must also close from 4 December.
Announcing the measures, Drakeford said fresh action was needed as case rates in Wales continued to rise in the run up to Christmas.
Sixteen out of 22 local Welsh authorities recorded rises in their seven-day rolling case rates last Thursday.
The new infections pushed Wales’ R rate up to 1.4 in Wales, with the rate needing to be below one for the number of cases to fall.
Drakeford said while case rates had fallen following the country’s 17-day ‘firebreak’, they had since risen “faster and further than we anticipated” as people resumed socialising.
“This does not mean a return to the firebreak arrangements, but the cabinet has agreed to take further specific and targeted action to reinforce the current national measures we have place,” he said.
The Welsh leader added that unless action was taken now, the number of people with coronavirus in Welsh hospitals could reach 2,200 by 12 January.
Drakeford announced a £340m support package for hospitality businesses affected by the new regulations.
The first minister said smaller and medium-sized businesses will be able to access up to £100,000, while larger businesses will be eligible for up to £150,000.
It comes after Prime Minister Boris Johnson last week announced a five-day period over Christmas in which coronavirus restrictions will be lifted across the UK.
Up to three households will be allowed to mix and travel restrictions will be lifted between 23 and 27 December.
Johnson is scrambling to defuse a 70-strong Tory revolt on the fresh tier system by offering a series of concessions ahead of a crunch Commons vote tomorrow.
The PM is set to announce an expiry date for the tier system, detailed impact assessments, and extra cash for pubs and restaurants.