Punters have been told to down their pints before they were kicked out of bars and pubs in Bolton as new lockdown measures came into effect immediately.
Furious landlords were left red faced as they were told of the new restrictions by drinkers after being given ‘no notice’ from the government.
Peter Sutton, from the Millstone in the city centre, told MailOnline he was ’embarrassed’ after being told about the changes across by the bar by a regular.
He said he checked the new rules online and was forced to tell punters to neck their pints before booting them out at 2.30pm.
Bolton’s pubs were ordered back into lockdown today amid desperate efforts to stop partying young people fuelling a surge in coronavirus cases.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock announced bars and restaurants in the city will only be allowed to serve takeaway and must close between 10pm and 5am.
Mr Hancock said the dramatic action, which takes effect immediately, was needed as the area has the highest rate of cases in the country, at 120 per 100,000 people.
Flouting of social distancing by 20 and 30-somethings is thought to be largely responsible and Mr Hancock said a ban on mixing outside of households will be law.
Peter Sutton, from the Millstone in the city centre, told MailOnline he was ’embarrassed’ after being told about the changes across by the bar by a regular
Mr Sutton said: ‘It’s a pain being up and running and now having to close again. No notice was given and I only found out through a punter.
‘It’s very embarrassing. [Our survival] depends on how long we are closed for. It would be nice if it was just two or three weeks then we should be fine.’
He added: ‘I think everyone knew the new rules coming in to the pub. We shut around 2.30pm and told everyone it was closing time and people just needed to finish up their drinks and go.’
Mr Hancock addressed the changes in Bolton during a statement to the House of Commons today.
He said: ‘Unfortunately after improving for several weeks, we’ve seen a very significant rise in cases in Bolton.
‘Bolton is up to 120 cases per 100,000 of population, the highest case rate in the country and I’m publishing the data behind the decisions that we’ve taken.
The infection rates for young people have been rising recently, but so far they have been relatively flat for older people
Data from Public Health England shows that more than 40 per cent of coronavirus tests done in hospitals were positive in March and April but this has now plummeted and remains below 2.5 per cent in both hospitals and the community. This shows that there remains only a small proportion of people with the symptoms of coronavirus who actually have it
‘I must therefore tell that House that, working with the local council, we’re taking further local action.
‘The rise in cases in Bolton is partly due to socialising by people in their 20s and 30s, we know this from contact tracing.
‘And through our contacting tracing system we’ve identified a number of pubs at which the virus has spread significantly…
‘We will restrict all hospitality to takeaways-only and we’ll introduce a late-night restriction of operating hours which will mean all venues will be required to close from 10pm to 5am.
‘We’ll introduce urgently further measures that put the current guidance that people cannot socialise outside their household into law.’
He added: ‘Young people do not just spread the virus to each other. They spread the virus to their parent and their grandparents…
Health Secretary Matt Hancock announced bars and restaurants in Bolton will only be allowed to serve takeaway, and must close between 10pm and 5am
Scientists have previously said cases have risen over August as a result of increased testing (pictured, how testing has risen during the pandemic)
But the number of people who receive a ‘positive’ result after getting tested under Pillar 2 has increased in recent weeks (blue line) to 2.3 per cent. It’s also increased under Pillar 2 (red line), but is nowhere near the levels seen at the height of the pandemic
‘I know social distancing can be hard, and how it can be extra-tough for students who will be starting university – but please, stick with it and play your part in getting this virus under control.’
But local pub owners were livid at the change after busting their backs trying to reopen with Covid-19 protocols in place.
Hogarths Pub & Micro Brewery vented its fury at the new rules online.
The company posted on its Facebook page: ‘Despite having been commended for all the Covid-19 Protocols we have in place we have to close the business.
‘We are sorry for the inconvenience caused to our amazing customers but we will open as soon as we are allowed.’
It added: ‘Please stay home and look after yourselves – we will meet again!’
Conservative council leader David Greenhalgh said the new measures were needed to stop the transmission of the virus ‘moving round uncontrolled’.
He said: ‘This is not something we want to do but it is clear the virus is currently moving round the borough uncontrolled and so we need to halt the transmission rate.
‘The rate has gone from 15 cases per 100,000 to over 120 in the space of two weeks, and if we do not get control of the virus now we will continue to put our most vulnerable residents at risk and delay any return to normality.
‘We are working across the council with the Government and our partners to bring down the number of cases of this deadly virus and to continue to press Government for extra support for the hospitality sector as they are once again asked to close their doors.
‘The best way to do that is to limit the number of contacts people have.
‘Be under no illusion, we are in this position due to the irresponsible actions of a few which has led to a position where our rates are at a level where Government had no choice but to take action.’
Bolton local councillor and landlord Sean Hornby, whose pub The Queens in Bradley Fold, Radcliffe (pictured), is situated just outside the borough, said: ‘I think it was inevitable it was going to happen as the infection rate is too high. I’m on board with it because of public health
Pictured: Bolton local councillor and landlord Sean Hornby
The council’s director of public health Dr Helen Lowey added: ‘I appreciate that this news will be disappointing and concerning but this is not a decision we have taken lightly.
‘We can assure you that we have taken all the data into consideration and we are left with no alternative.’
Testing capacity in Bolton is set to be ‘significantly increased’ with the new restrictions subject to an ongoing review.
Bolton local councillor and landlord Sean Hornby, whose pub The Queens in Bradley Fold, Radcliffe, is situated just outside the borough, said: ‘I think it was inevitable it was going to happen as the infection rate is too high. I’m on board with it because of public health.
‘The checks of the track and trace to see what the movements are show most of these infections are coming from the 18 to 49-year-olds, white population and quite a lot of this is within the pub trade.
‘There are other incidents happening where people have proven positive and they just ignore it and are going out anyway.
‘There was a bloke who came in here with his wife about half an hour ago and he didn’t want to track and trace.
‘He said he doesn’t believe coronavirus is happening blah blah blah and so I said unfortunately you’re not having a drink then.’