lockdown

Covid: Will the UK’s pubs stay shut until May?

~ Michael Stevenson ~ Leave a comment

Previous lockdowns suggest hospitality could be facing one of the longest routes back to normality.

By Paul Seddon

A world-famous British institution, they have been, along with other hospitality businesses, especially hard hit during the pandemic.

And previous lockdowns suggest both pubs and restaurants are facing a longer route back to normality than other sectors hit by periods of closure.

Recently, one group of scientists advising the government warned against reopening the sector before May.

Although the government is aiming to give over-50s a first vaccine dose by the spring, that would still leave a large number of people unprotected, they argue.

One of the scientists, Dr Marc Baguelin from Imperial College London, said even a partial reopening before then could mean “unsustainable” pressure on the NHS.
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England to enter toughest Covid lockdown since March

~ Michael Stevenson ~ Leave a comment

England will enter its toughest nationwide lockdown since March, with schools closed and people allowed to leave home once a day for exercise for at least six weeks, Boris Johnson has announced as the numbers of people in hospital reach new highs.

All pupils will switch to remote learning until the February half-term, the prime minister said in an address to the nation, and GCSE and A-level exams are unlikely to go ahead as planned. All non-essential shops will be told to close.

Under the third national lockdown, people in England will be ordered to stay at home until at least 15 February and advised only to leave once a day for exercise. MPs are expected to vote the tough new measures into law from Wednesday, though businesses will be advised to close from Monday night [ . . . ]

Continue at THE GUARDIAN: England to enter toughest Covid lockdown since March

‘Let’s not blow it,’ says Boris Johnson as English pubs reopen

~ Michael Stevenson ~ Leave a comment

PM gives Downing Street press conference as lockdown measures are eased again

Boris Johnson has implored people to behave responsibly and safely as England’s chief medical officer admitted Saturday’s easing of the lockdown left the country treading a narrow path with serious risks “on either side”.

In a press conference on the eve of changes that will allow restaurants, pubs and bars to reopen for the first time since March, the prime minister insisted “we are not out of the woods yet”.

“Let’s not blow it,” he said. Continue reading →

British pubs could be saved by apps post-lockdown, but will they lose their soul in the process?

~ Michael Stevenson ~ 1 Comment

As re-opening approaches, more and more pubs will be turning to new technology in order to keep staff and customers safe

When Wetherspoons made it possible to order food and drink to your table using only an app, pub-goers’ reaction was mixed. Traditionalists, to the extent that they were aware of the technology, lamented the erosion of the ancient custom of mingling at the bar. Younger customers enjoyed the service’s faceless convenience, revelling in their new ability to order unsolicited plates of peas to faraway friends.

That was 2017, which is three years and several lifetimes ago. During that time, other large pub chains have developed similar apps. Greene King have one; so do Brewdog, O’Neill’s, Harvester, and various other well-known chains. In-house software of this kind costs hundred of thousands of pounds to build, probably millions in some cases, but it is a sound investment [ . . . ]

Continue at THE TELEGRAPH: British pubs could be saved by apps post-lockdown, but will they lose their soul in the process?

Why Dominic Cummings hasn’t apologised for breaking lockdown

~ Michael Stevenson ~ Leave a comment

Dominic Cummings is yet to admit fault and apologise for breaking lockdown rules. But why not? Likely because it’d make his position untenable.

Whether it was his ludicrously long trip from London to Durham while suffering from coronavirus symptoms, or his jolly to Barnard Castle not long after, Dominic Cummings broke lockdown rules.

The reaction to his violation of rules, his refusal to apologise, and the government’s decision to retrospectively alter the interpretation of rules to protect him have provoked outrage amongst the majority of the population.

So much so that a Daily Mail poll found that 66 percent of people think he should leave his position.

So when Cummings sat in Downing Street’s Rose Garden on Sunday afternoon to take questions from journalists and explain himself, it was noticeable that for all the words he said – and there were 2,513 in total – ‘sorry’ wasn’t one of them.

We sat down with Anthony Burr, the founder of Burr Media, a PR and communications expert, who explained why even a cursory apology from Cummings would have made his position untenable.

Source: Why Dominic Cummings hasn’t apologised for breaking lockdown | JOE.co.uk