The United Kingdom is closed: Johnson shutters pubs and restaurants

By Costas Pitas and Paul Sandle

 

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson looks on during a coronavirus disease (COVID-19) news conference inside 10 Downing Street, London, Britain March 19, 2020. Leon Neal/Pool via REUTERS

 

LONDON (Reuters) - Prime Minister Boris Johnson effectively closed down the United Kingdom on Friday, ordering pubs, restaurants, theatres, cinemas and gyms to shut their doors in a bid to slow down the accelerating spread of the coronavirus.

 

As the coronavirus outbreak sweeps across the world, governments, companies and investors are grappling with the biggest public health crisis since the 1918 influenza pandemic, panicked populations and imploding financial markets.

 

Johnson said he understood just how wrenching it was to take away the ancient rights of the British people to go to the pub but that it was absolutely essential to slow the spread of the coronavirus.

 

"I do accept that what we're doing is extraordinary: we're taking away the ancient, inalienable right of free-born people of the United Kingdom to go to the pub, and I can understand how people feel about that," Johnson said. "It's a huge wrench."

 

"It's a huge wrench to do that, everybody understands that," he said. "It's heartbreaking to think of the businesses that will face difficulties as a result of the measures this country has had to take."

 

The United Kingdom so far has 3,983 confirmed cases of coronavirus, after 66,976 people were tested, though the government's scientists say it is raging across London, partly as some people are not obeying government advice to isolate.

 

At total of 177 people with the virus have died so far across the country.

 

Johnson said pubs, restaurants, theatres, nigthtclubs, cinemas and gyms and leisure centres were being asked to close on Friday night and to stay shut indefinitely.

 

"We are telling cafes, bars and restaurants to close tonight as soon as they reasonably can and not to open tomorrow," Johnson told reporters in Downing Street. "Though to be clear, they can continue to provide takeout services.

 

"Some people may of course be tempted to go out tonight, and I say to those people, 'please don't,'" Johnson said.

 

The government also announced that a military veterans' parade in London to mark the 75th anniversary of the end of World War Two in Europe (VE Day) in May would be cancelled.

 

New plans to mark the occasion would be unveiled shortly.

 

Johnson's finance minister Rishi Sunak also launched a gigantic stimulus package to stabilise Britain's virus-hit economy on Friday, including the government paying the wages of workers up and down the country. [L8N2BD2UN]

 

(Writing by Guy Faulconbridge and Michael Holden; editing by Stephen Addison and Estelle Shirbon)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-03-21

Follow Thaivisa on LINE for breaking COVID-19 updates

 

 

About time too!

The right thing to do. The UK trajectory on deaths is higher than Italy’s at the same stage. London appears to be a hotspot. The decision to reduce the number of tube trains was an act of madness, as the carriages are now more crowded than they ever where. We are at the exponential stage of development so it’s going to get very ugly the next couple of weeks.

 

 

Dunno. Think it was quite measured to hold off and keep things as normal as possible.

 

Italy a different kettle of fish, with their aged population and the way huge families live together and interact.

The tube 2 days ago.

59 minutes ago, rooster59 said:

take away the ancient rights of the British people to go to the pub

 

Classic....

USA has the right to bear arms..

U.K ?? Right to a pint and a packet of pork scratchings ????

The U.K. has also announced that the Government will pay 80% of wages for all people laid off due to the Corona restrictions.

Stable door, horse and bolted. Should have been done at least a week ago.

13 minutes ago, Rookiescot said:

Stable door, horse and bolted. Should have been done at least a week ago.

says a future prime minister

1 hour ago, AlexRich said:

The decision to reduce the number of tube trains was an act of madness,

people should have stopped travelling, that was the idea behind closing sations and train line routes etc.

1 hour ago, bannork said:

The tube 2 days ago.

Good for Boris smart decision.

He seems OK, but someone should give him a comb. ????

 

Hey, at least on The Tube the lady warns you to Mind the Gap.

38 minutes ago, steve187 said:

people should have stopped travelling, that was the idea behind closing sations and train line routes etc.

Doesn't work that way. You close lines and stations if there is less demand, you can not regulate demand by closing lines and stations. Closing was premature.

1 hour ago, Rookiescot said:

Stable door, horse and bolted. Should have been done at least a week ago.

E mailed a friend in UK re' they should have shut down earlier and he replied 'why, it's only flu? we're still going to the pubs, it's ok'

He hasn't answered my follow up saying   OK let me know how your 80+ years old parents do when you bring it home to them and they die early.

Still waiting on a reply.

Edited March 21, 20206 yr by overherebc

What powers is he using to close pubs? can't find the answer to that

12 minutes ago, bartender100 said:

What powers is he using to close pubs? can't find the answer to that

"An emergency Coronavirus Bill published on Thursday would give the Government the power to close down premises and stop people entering as well as detain people to be tested for the virus, then force them to isolate for 14 days or face a £1,000 fine."

 

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2020/03/20/uk-lockdown-coronavirus-government-advice-school-closures/

 

 

2 hours ago, AlexRich said:

The right thing to do. The UK trajectory on deaths is higher than Italy’s at the same stage. London appears to be a hotspot. The decision to reduce the number of tube trains was an act of madness, as the carriages are now more crowded than they ever where. We are at the exponential stage of development so it’s going to get very ugly the next couple of weeks.

 

 

And number of Intensive care beds and staff determines the number of people who are going to die. Please do your research on Germany, Italy, France and Spain. 

Seems like johnson is more concerned at missing out on a pint or three, than enforcing social self-isolation to prevent the virus from spreading uncontrollably.

 

Beggars belief at his shallowness. Come on Sadiq - do his job, and  - for starters - close down inner London.

3 hours ago, rooster59 said:

 

"I do accept that what we're doing is extraordinary: we're taking away the ancient, inalienable right of free-born people of the United Kingdom to go to the pub, and I can understand how people feel about that," Johnson said. "It's a huge wrench."

If not going to the pub is the worst that happens to someone during this whole covid-19 situation, then they’ve gotten off lightly. 
 

Inalienable right to go to the pub...a bit of over the top hyperbole there johnson.
 

Anyway since Lloyd George imposed restrictions on opening hours in 1916 there has been no inalienable right to get faecal matter faced. 

Edited March 21, 20206 yr by Bluespunk

3 hours ago, bannork said:

The tube 2 days ago.

It's like that anyway on any given day. 

12 minutes ago, Bluespunk said:

If not going to the pub is the worst that happens to someone during this whole covid-19 situation, then they’ve gotten off lightly. 
 

Inalienable right to go to the pub...a bit of over the top hyperbole there johnson.
 

Anyway since Lloyd George imposed restrictions on opening hours in 1916 there has been no inalienable right to get faecal matter faced. 

Don't worry it won't take long for some of the brain dead to start posting ' I spoke to my lawyer' and he says I can still invite 50+ friends to my house for a party.

That tube pic looks like the queue for getting served at the bar in a whetherspoons pub

2 hours ago, steve187 said:

says a future prime minister

Whats wrong with you?

Upset they have dropped the shutters at your local spoonies?

1 hour ago, bartender100 said:

What powers is he using to close pubs? can't find the answer to that

Ask your lawyer and pay money to get the very long answer.

1 hour ago, overherebc said:

E mailed a friend in UK re' they should have shut down earlier and he replied 'why, it's only flu? we're still going to the pubs, it's ok'

This ignorance and arrogance of some people in the west, mostly younger ones it seems, is disgusting. It’s not just the UK; in the US, they celebrate spring break; in Germany, they do Corona parties; and in Sydney, Bondi beach is packed. All that while in Italy they have to decide who may live and who should die. 

I’m normally against anything that restricts civil rights. But it seems the free people in the West can’t handle so much freedom. Sad. 

 

17 minutes ago, Rookiescot said:

Whats wrong with you?

Upset they have dropped the shutters at your local spoonies?

i only do one type of spooning

33 minutes ago, Ian Nagle said:

It's like that anyway on any given day. 

If it is so that this virus like humidity and cold ................I want to put my mask on just looking at this pic.

I think common sense is the word I would use for people to stay at home 

Leaving the people required to carry out the Essential tasks to travel

Less people around makes the task of catching this virus a top priority

25 minutes ago, welovesundaysatspace said:

This ignorance and arrogance of some people in the west, mostly younger ones it seems, is disgusting. It’s not just the UK; in the US, they celebrate spring break; in Germany, they do Corona parties; and in Sydney, Bondi beach is packed. All that while in Italy they have to decide who may live and who should die. 

I’m normally against anything that restricts civil rights. But it seems the free people in the West can’t handle so much freedom. Sad. 

 

Agree and anyone can call me a BOF.

The younger generation

( most )  just seem to be 'I am entitled' in their attitude. I am now just answering e mails from UK  on the 'I'm going out anyway line' with 'ok by me if you're happy to kill the older generation'.

The whole thing is so much on the Monty Python's what did the Romans ever do for us?

 

At home we have re-discovered the box of sandwiches and flask of coffee ( bottle of wine in the cooler) and find a nice beach to sit on without a mob around us.

Maybe more should try it.

Flame me ????????????????

5 minutes ago, shackleton said:

I think common sense is the word I would use for people to stay at home 

Leaving the people required to carry out the Essential tasks to travel

Less people around makes the task of catching this virus a top priority

Common sense versus I am entitled may have to be enforced.

2 hours ago, bartender100 said:

What powers is he using to close pubs? can't find the answer to that

 

     Keeps <deleted> heads @ bay ....

     Goes back to the days of the plague , bring out your dead.. 

 

 

Edited March 21, 20206 yr by elliss