Mark Drakeford has confirmed that pubs in Wales will not be allowed to serve alcohol from this Friday. Yes, you read that correctly - PUBS WILL NOT BE ALLOWED TO SERVE ALCOHOL.
Pubs and restaurants will be allowed to serve soft drinks with meals and must close at 18:00, meaning that it's basically not worth opening at all. This approach mirrors tier 3 restrictions in Scotland, where pub chains including Wetherspoons decided to close altogether. Drakeford gave no indication how long the measures would last or whether there would be a Christmas reprieve for an industry already on its knees.
Once again we see an administration scapegoating the hospitality industry, which has spent millions on making itself Covid-secure. You're more likely to catch the virus in a shop than a pub, but for some reason Johnson, Sturgeon and Drakeford have declared war on pubs. This crazed policy will inevitably lead to more indoor socialising in private homes, where there are no control measures in place and people can drink as much and for as long as they like. Don't be surprised if there is a blanket alcohol ban in the new year - including off licences and supermarkets - effectively plunging the country into prohibition.
