Tubes And Streets Packed As Pub-Goers Leave In Force Under 10PM Curfew

Groups of people have been pictured leaving pubs and packing onto the tube in London after the new 10pm curfew came into force.

Revellers have taken to social media to criticise the new rules that were implemented last week that stated all pubs, bars, and restaurants in England had to shorten their opening hours.

Some claimed that the curfew caused a flood of punters to spill out onto the streets of the capital city, making it extremely difficult for people to keep apart from one another.

Sharing a short video of large crowds of people, one person wrote on Twitter: "(10pm curfew just meant everyone rolling out onto the streets and onto the tubes at the same time and it was the busiest I've seen central London in months)."

Another posted a photograph from inside a tube carriage. Blasting the city's Mayor Sadiq Khan, they said: "Don't stay in a socially distanced pub/bar/restaurant post 10pm, but all Londoners MUST go home at the same time and cram into the streets and tube..... @SadiqKhan moron."

While another wrote: "So we're getting put on a 10pm curfew and can only see groups of 6 with social distancing but your still making us cram onto a packed tube with strangers to get to work... absolute joke! @BorisJohnson @TfL #london."

The new curfew was implemented following a spike in the number of cases of coronavirus across England.

Under the new rules, all customers have to be off the premises by 10pm.

Speaking earlier this month, a spokesperson from No 10 said: "No-one underestimates the challenges the new measures will pose to many individuals and businesses. We know this won't be easy, but we must take further action to control the resurgence in cases of the virus and protect the NHS."

PA

However, despite the new rules, McDonald's announced that 800 of its restaurants will stay open past the 10pm curfew.

Under the new rules, "Businesses and venues selling food for consumption off the premises, can continue to do so after 10pm as long as this is through delivery service or drive-thru."

So, while you won't be able to sit in the restaurants, McDonald's will still be able to maintain its regular opening hours - 24 hours each day, in some cases - where other restaurants will have to shut.

McDonald's UK and Ireland CEO Paul Pomroy confirmed: "With thanks to our delivery partners Uber Eats and Just Eat, more than 800 restaurants will also be offering McDelivery past 10pm."

However, Mr Pomroy went on to say that the chain would be looking closely at the rates of infection in certain areas, as well as local lockdown restrictions, and might end up closing some of its locations down if the number of coronavirus infections is too high.

He added: "We will be guided by local and national government regulations."

Topics: restaurants, Coronavirus, Health, Covid-19

Dominic Smithers

Dominic graduated from the University of Leeds with a degree in French and History. Like you, Dom has often questioned how much use a second language has been. Well, after stints working at the Manchester Evening News, the Accrington Observer and the Macclesfield Express, along with never setting foot in France, he realised the answer is surprisingly little. But I guess, c'est la vie. Contact us at [email protected]

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