Pubs need two metre rule watered down to survive

Major pub companies are more circumspect. “No-one wants to put their head above the parapet,” says one industry insider. “There is a growing consensus among MPs that social distancing could be relaxed to 1.5 metres or 1 metre. But there is huge nervousness [within Government] that until they get the guidance from Sage, they won’t budge.”

Tunbridge Wells MP Greg Clark, the former business secretary who now chairs the Commons science committee, supports the call for change. 

“The difference between 2 metres and 1.5 metres may seem small but it can be the difference between people being able to go to work and losing their jobs,” he says.

The official WHO guidance is that people should remain one metre apart – recommendations that are implemented in a number of countries such as France. Germany and Australia, meanwhile, have opted for a 1.5 metre limit.

Within the broader hospitality industry there are concerns of being out of kilter with public opinion in the UK which is supportive of the status quo. Companies fear being painted as the villains if social distancing is eased and there is a second spike in the pandemic. 

Kate Nicholls, chief executive of UKHospitality, says: “If the science recommends it is safe to do so, we would urge the Government to adopt the internationally recognised standard of one metre. Such a reduction would be a huge boost for the hospitality sector and prove critical to the survival of the vast majority of businesses, helping to safeguard over 800,000 jobs. It’s the difference between a venue opening at around 70pc of normal revenues, or at 30pc with the current two metre rule in place, which is simply unviable.

“It is vital that reopening is done in the right way and with the right support so that our industry can help rebuild shattered consumer confidence, play our part in the recovery and bring the nation back together safely over the coming months.”