3m pints to be served on 17 May

With indoor service resuming today, an estimated 45,000 pubs will reopen around the UK, serving approximately 3m pints.

Pubs and bars will be required to ensure one metre plus social distancing is in place, operate by table service only and ensure that face masks are worn other than when sat at a table inside or if outdoors.

The British Beer & Pub Association (BBPA) says that for these reasons it estimates beer sales for Monday will be 65% (some 1.6m pints) lower than a normal Monday pre-pandemic. This is below the break-even point for the majority of pubs, which the trade body says cannot trade profitably while the current restrictions remain in place.

As well as reduced footfall in city and town centres, those pubs who are reliant or standing and vertical drinking due to their small footprints will be particularly adversely affected by table service only due to their limited space. For this very reason, the BBPA has estimated that some 2,000 pubs, 5% of all the pubs in the UK, will still remain closed despite indoor reopening.

It is therefore urging the government to commit to 21 June for the lifting of all restrictions, including removal of social distancing and allowing vertical drinking and bar service to resume.

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