Loophole Means This Wetherspoon Pub Can Stay Open Past 10pm

A Wetherspoon pub located at a service station is able to stay open past 10pm because of a loophole.

While pubs across England have been told they must be closed by 10pm in response to a steep rise in coronavirus cases, The Hope and Champion at Beaconsfield Services on the M40 can stay open until 11pm as it's classed as being an 'essential service' because it sells food and drink to motorists in need of a break.

The pub is technically part of the service station and therefore doesn't need to follow the curfew, the Sun reports.

PA

A spokesperson from Wetherspoon told the Sun: "The pub can remain open until 11pm throughout the week because it is part of a service station.

"There is a 100-bedroom hotel close to the pub and the majority of customers using the pub at night are guests staying at the hotel who want something to eat and drink.

"All regulations around Covid - such as ordering off an app, table service and social distancing - remain the same at all times."

A barman told a reporter who visited the boozer: "We are allowed to serve you a pint until 11pm."

While a colleague added: "You are in the only legally open pub serving after 10pm."

The curfew has been criticised by some after footage filmed at the weekend showed packed streets, buses, trains and huge queues outside of off-licences and shops at 10pm as everyone piled out of pubs at the same time.

However, Boris Johnson has ruled out a change to the curfew - when asked if he was planning a re-think, a spokesperson said: "No. I would say that we keep all of our social distancing measures under review but no there is nothing in that regard."

PA

The Government was hit with a further backlash after The Times reported that bars inside the Palace of Westminster were exempt from the tighter regulations introduced across England on Thursday by Prime Minister Boris Johnson due to their classification as 'workplace canteens'.

After the news broke, the Government announced Parliament bars would not be flogging booze after 10pm.

A UK Parliament spokesperson told LADbible: "Alcohol will not be sold after 10pm anywhere on the parliamentary estate."

Topics: Food, UK News, Wetherspoon, England

Claire Reid

Claire is a journalist at LADbible who, after dossing around for a few years, went to Liverpool John Moores University. She graduated with a degree in Journalism and a whole load of debt. When not writing words in exchange for money she is usually at home watching serial killer documentaries surrounded by cats. You can contact Claire at [email protected]

@ClaireReid19