Cafes, gyms and leisure centres also told to shut because of Covid-19 as unprecedented wage-support scheme unveiled

This article is more than 5 months old

This article is more than 5 months old

Boris Johnson took the extraordinary step of ordering pubs, clubs and restaurants across the UK to close on Friday, and announced an unprecedented wage-support scheme to try to prevent a tsunami of job losses.

Announcing the decision in the fight against the coronavirus, the prime minister said that he realised it went against what he called “the inalienable free-born right of people born in England to go to the pub”.

Last orders: the reaction in pubs to the Covid-19 shutdown Read more

The chancellor, Rishi Sunak, revealed that the taxpayer would meet 80% of the wage costs of workers “furloughed”, or temporarily sent home, by firms hit by the crisis.

Johnson had come under increasing pressure to take more stringent action as social distancing measures announced on Monday – including the recommendation to avoid all unnecessary social contact – were being flouted.

The decision to order the nationwide shutdown was only finally decided at an afternoon meeting of Cobra, the government’s crisis committee, which ended shortly before the prime minister made his dramatic announcement.

One issue thrashed out at the meeting was when it should come into place, with several voices – including that of the London mayor, Sadiq Khan, and others – urging that it should come in on Friday evening and not the following day.

Earlier on Friday, the government had decided that venues in London should be ordered to close. By early afternoon, emerging scientific evidence made crisis planners believe it had to be a nationwide shutdown.

Johnson said that with the agreement of the three devolved governments, “we are telling – telling – cafes, pubs, bars and restaurants to close tonight, as soon as they reasonably can, and not open tomorrow”. They would be allowed to sell takeaway food and drink, he added.

The same instruction was being given to nightclubs, theatres, cinemas, gyms and leisure centres, Johnson added. The new social distancing measures would be reviewed every month to see if any could be relaxed.

The announcement came at 5pm, just as hundreds of thousands of people were enjoying post-work pints. Some pubs said they would close – but others showed no signs of heeding the instruction.

Police who may have been expected to enforce a ban backed by law, merely said there would remind any businesses staying open of what the government had wanted.

A spokesperson for National Police Chiefs’ Council, representing all forces in England and Wales, said: “We expect business owners will want to support the measures designed keep us all safe.

“We will police as normal. If officers see specified businesses open, they will remind them of the government advice.”

The government is not planning to take specific action to enforce the closures initially, believing a direct instruction from the prime minister should be enough to convince almost all venues to shut their doors.

But ministers are prepared to take more action next week through a crackdown on licensing conditions, if necessary.

Johnson said the scientific advice suggested a 75% compliance rate with the social distancing measures was necessary to achieve the desired effect. He praised everyone who had heeded the government’s advice but conceded not enough people had done so thus far.

The UK death toll from coronavirus rose on Friday to 177, from 144 the previous day, with nearly 4,000 people testing positive.

Johnson, addressing the daily Downing Street press conference, was flanked by Sunak, who said funds would be available to pay 80% of workers’ wages up to a value of £2,500 a month, and thereby prevent firms from having to make staff redundant.

Since Monday’s announcement, even many Conservative MPs, including the former business secretary Greg Clark, had complained that many companies had little choice but to lay off thousands of staff as their business dried up overnight.

On Tuesday, Sunak announced a big-ticket package of loans and other business support measures, including £330m of taxpayer-backed loans, but Clark and others complained that they gave little disincentive for firms to lay off workers.

Friday’s announcement, which was negotiated with business groups and trades unions, and included increases in universal credit and other benefits, marked the third multibillion-pound financial commitment the chancellor has made in 10 days.

The pubs closure appeared to be the latest example of the government scrambling to catch up with events. A ban on mass gatherings was announced last Friday after scores of fixtures and concerts had been cancelled; and nationwide schools closures were confirmed on Wednesday, after thousands of teachers and students had already taken the decision to remain at home.

The shutdown of social venues had been expected to cover only London, and the fear of a “lockdown” appears to have been fuelling panic-buying of food and other commodities in the capital. But Johnson said he had consulted with the devolved nations, and the measures would be imposed nationwide.

He also said he would be chairing a meeting with supermarket executives on Saturday, in an attempt to keep food supply chains operating normally.

After criticism of the lack of clear instructions to the public earlier in the week, the podiums at which Sunak, Johnson and the deputy chief medical officer Jenny Harries were standing carried the bold message, “Stay at Home, Protect the NHS, Save Lives.”

Johnson exhorted the public to comply, saying, “Bit by bit, day by day, by your actions, your restraint and your sacrifice, we are putting this country in a better and stronger position, where we will be able to save literally thousands of lives, of people of all ages, people who don’t deserve to die now. People whose lives can, must, and will be saved.”

Harries gave more detail as to what children should and shouldn’t do, once their schools are largely closed from Monday. She warned against social gatherings, playdates and team sports, and suggested children can take walks in the park – but without coming into contact with others.

A full list of affected venues affected by the shutdown was tweeted by the communities secretary, Robert Jenrick, also mentioning betting shops, bingo halls, casinos, spas, museums and galleries.

In a sign of the radical nature of the Treasury’s intervention to support firms by paying staff’s wages, Len McCluskey, general secretary of the Unite union and a close ally of Jeremy Corbyn, called it, “historic, bold and very much necessary”.

Johnson had been widely expected to announce tougher measures in London at Thursday’s daily press conference, but instead simply highlighted advances in scientific understanding of the virus, and claimed the UK could “turn the tide” on it in 12 weeks.

The shadow health secretary, Jon Ashworth, who had warned earlier on Friday that, “pubs and restaurants appear to be full of people, but supermarket shelves appear to be empty,” welcomed the shutdown.

Quick guide What to do if you have coronavirus symptoms in the UK Show Hide Symptoms are defined by the NHS as either: a high temperature - you feel hot to touch on your chest or back

a new continuous cough - this means you've started coughing repeatedly NHS advice is that anyone with symptoms should stay at home for at least 7 days.

If you live with other people, they should stay at home for at least 14 days, to avoid spreading the infection outside the home. After 14 days, anyone you live with who does not have symptoms can return to their normal routine. But, if anyone in your home gets symptoms, they should stay at home for 7 days from the day their symptoms start. Even if it means they're at home for longer than 14 days. If you live with someone who is 70 or over, has a long-term condition, is pregnant or has a weakened immune system, try to find somewhere else for them to stay for 14 days. If you have to stay at home together, try to keep away from each other as much as possible. After 7 days, if you no longer have a high temperature you can return to your normal routine. If you still have a high temperature, stay at home until your temperature returns to normal. If you still have a cough after 7 days, but your temperature is normal, you do not need to continue staying at home. A cough can last for several weeks after the infection has gone.

Staying at home means you should: not go to work, school or public areas

not use public transport or taxis

not have visitors, such as friends and family, in your home

not go out to buy food or collect medicine – order them by phone or online, or ask someone else to drop them off at your home You can use your garden, if you have one. You can also leave the house to exercise – but stay at least 2 metres away from other people. If you have symptoms of coronavirus, use the NHS 111 coronavirus service to find out what to do. Source: NHS England on 23 March 2020

He said: “We have been increasingly concerned that the social distancing measures needed were not being followed which is why we called for this earlier. We all have to adjust our behaviour to defeat this virus.”

In Scotland, Nicola Sturgeon endorsed the planned closures, telling the public that the move “will save lives”. She told older people to stay away from their grandchildren “so you can stay around to see them grow up”, adding: “With compassion and kindness and with the dedication and expertise of our NHS we can and we will get through this.”

At Friday’s press conference, Johnson urged people not to decide to go out one final evening: “Please don’t. You may think you are invincible, but there is no guarantee you will get mild symptoms, and you can still be a carrier of the disease and pass it on to others.”

Answering questions, the prime minister confirmed that, if needed, the government would enforce the closures, but added: “In reality I think everyone can see the imperative of doing what is necessary.”

The announcement marked the end of a dramatic week, which began with Johnson urging the public to avoid unnecessary social contact.