Pubs will be allowed to keep selling takeaway pints for another year

Cheers to that! Pubs will be allowed to keep selling takeaway pints for another year as rule introduced during Covid is extended

• The move was brought in during the pandemic to help struggling businesses
• It let them serve booze in takeaway orders as well as to punters on pavements
• The policy was due to expire in September but ministers have now extended it 

Pubs can sell takeaway pints for another year after the Government extended rules introduced during Covid to help boost the hospitality sector.

The continuation of the policy, which has been such a serious consideration for ministers it was even included in the Queen’s Speech, was welcomed by industry bosses.

The move was brought in during the pandemic when venues had suffered months of pain through enforced closures, allowing them to sell alcohol as part of takeaway and delivery orders, as well as serve it in pavement and other outdoor areas where relevant.

Pubs can sell takeaway pints for another year after the Government extended rules introduced during Covid to help boost the hospitality sector

The continuation of the policy, which has been such a serious consideration for ministers it was even included in the Queen’s Speech, was welcomed by industry bosses

The move was brought in during the pandemic when venues had suffered months of pain through enforced closures, allowing them to sell alcohol as part of takeaway and delivery orders, as well as serve it in pavement and other outdoor areas where relevant

It was due to expire at the end of September this year but the Home Office has agreed to extend it by another 12 months to help struggling businesses after a lobbying campaign by trade bodies.

Kate Nicholls, chief executive of campaigners, UKHospitality, said: ‘This decision to extend the off-sales easement is the right one, and hugely significant. 

‘If this had lapsed, it would have caused further problems for many hundreds of hospitality businesses already struggling to survive.

‘But persistent lobbying by UKHospitality and others has convinced government that deregulation measures such as this can help businesses, at what is a critical time in their efforts to stay afloat.

‘This will benefit those hospitality businesses that have successfully evolved operating models to incorporate takeaway and outdoor sales, and allow them to continue to do so.’

The trade body added that it will work with the government on a long-term solution beyond September 2023 to help aid the sector’s recovery.

However, Greg Mulholland, of the Campaign for Pubs, suggested the move alone wasn’t enough to give businesses future certainty.

He said: ‘Instead of peripheral issues, the Government needs to understand pubs are still recovering from the huge loss of trade over the last two years and need proper support such as a business rates review and an energy bill cap.’

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