Pub Installs Phone Outside So Boozers Can 'Pre-Order' Lockdown Drinks And Pick Them Up Immediately

A pub in London has found a way to serve boozers with their drinks while staying in line with the government rules:

The Red Lion and Sun pub in Highgate put a phone metres away from their outside bar. It connects to another phone that staff can answer and a cord links the two together.

This means customers can 'pre-order' their drinks before immediately picking them up.

The move comes after the government put the UK into a second national lockdown meaning that all pubs, bars and restaurants must close their doors until 2 December at least.

Restaurants could still operate on a delivery service basis but last week it was announced that drinks could still be purchased as long as they're pre-ordered.

In the video from the Red Lion and Sun you can see that all steps have been taken.

There are sanitising wipes on the table to wipe the phone down in between orders, as well as a sign that reads: "You can order your drinks via this phone."

Speaking to the Metro, Heath Ball - manager of the boozer - said that staff set up the 'tongue in cheek' system to 'take the p***' out of the government's 'ridiculous' new rules.

He went on: "This is a laugh. This makes no sense.

"You can go to the supermarket and the corner shop to buy beers but they're telling us that customers have to pre-order.

"All it's done is give us more work to do.

"We have all these people out front trying to ring the phone. We had a telephone line and a WhatsApp but it was still a mess.

"So I just ordered a couple of phones off Amazon, got a lead to join the two together and thought: 'There we go. I'm complying with the law.'"

Heath added: "They keep on laying down all these obstacles for us to trade but this is my business, I employ a lot of people and I'm just here trying to keep people in jobs.

"Right now we can't trade. It's really hard trying to make money and keep the business going.

"If we're open, we've got more control. We've got hand sanitiser, we can check temperatures and we can control the flow.

"Where would you rather be? A safe environment in a pub or out on the street drinking with 200 people?"