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UK coronavirus live: restaurants and pubs to close tonight; government will pay wages of those not working UK coronavirus live: restaurants, pubs and gyms to close tonight; government to pay 80% of wages of those not working
(32 minutes later)
All the day’s developments as UK death toll reaches 177 and government announces new clampdown and financial easing All the day’s developments as UK death toll reaches 177 and government announces new clampdown alongside financial easing
Boris Johnson said the government would be continually assessing the situation around pubs and cafes and other requested closures “to see if we can relax any of these measures”. More than 375 mosques, community centres and prayer facilities across the UK remained closed for Friday prayers today after the Muslim Council of Britain called for the suspension of congregational activities earlier this week.
Chancellor Rishi Sunak is now outlining the government’s new package to protect workers and their employers, at the daily coronavirus press conference in Downing Street. This is a crucial issue for the economy, with some firms already laying staff off in response to a slump in demand this week. They included some of the biggest mosques in Britain, including East London Mosque, which holds 7,000 worshippers, London Central Mosque which can accommodate more than 5,000 people, and Birmingham Central Mosque which regularly hosts over 2,500 people on Fridays.
Sunak says the economic intervention is “unprecedented” in the history of the British state, and will be one of the most comprehensive in the world. Harun Khan, Secretary General of the MCB, said:
People listening must realise “they will not face this alone, but it will take a collective national effort”, he declares. The Arcadia Group - Sir Philip Green’s retail empire which includes Topshop, Dorothy Perkins and Miss Selfridge is closing all its stores with immediate effect:
To protect jobs, the chancellor announces that the government will step in and help pay wages, for the first time in UK history. It’s called the coronavirus job retention scheme. Pubs in Penge, south-east London, had already started filling up well before the prime minister’s announcement that they must close down.
Companies and organisations will be able to apply for a grant from HMRC to cover the wages of people who are not working due to coronavirus shutdowns, but who haven’t been laid off. The high street, whose environs host six pubs, still had five open as Boris Johnson addressed the nation. There were surreal scenes as the big-screen televisions beamed Downing Street’s daily press conference that carried news of one of the most wide-ranging peacetime changes to British life while, directly underneath them, games of pool continued undisturbed.
It will cover 80% of the salaries of these retained workers, up to £2,500 per month. Shortly after the announcement, as the prime minister was still speaking, one customer headed out to call a friend: “Listen, you’d better hurry up and get here because all the pubs are shutting at 7pm. Hurry up,” he was heard to say.
It means that workers across the company can retain their jobs, even if their bosses can’t afford to pay them, Sunak explains. At another pub about 250 metres away, a sign on the door assured customers that, as a response to the Covid-19 alert, children would no longer be allowed in until further notice. The bar was full, friends were greeting each other with handshakes and horse racing continued to be shown on the televisions.
Johnson says the government is strengthening the measures announced on Monday to avoid unnecessary social contact. At a Wetherspoon’s further up the road, customers had been told that they must sit apart and try to use the app when ordering, but it too stayed open. It too was still was doing a roaring trade.
Following agreement of all the four nations of the UK, Johnson said all cafes, bars, pubs and restaurants must close tonight. At the Fork ‘n’ Ale taproom in Weston-super-Mare, owner Dave Turner was letting customers finish their pints and meals.
Nightclubs, theatres, gyms, cinemas and leisure centres must also close on the same timescale. “The prime minister has said we’ve got to close as soon as is reasonable,” said Turner. “I think that means that we should let our customers finish their drinks and meals and when it gets quiet we’ll close.”
Boris Johnson is starting his press conference now. New measures are expected as he updates the nation on his government’s response. He will be joined by Rishi Sunak, the chancellor and Jenny Harries, the deputy chief medical officer. The end of the week is celebrated with “Thank Cod it’s Fryday” - fish and chips and a pint for a tenner. “This has been the roughest week ever,” said Turner. “It would have been nice if we’d had the weekend to try and balance that out but it’s not going to happen.”
A “critical incident” that had been declared at Northwick Park hospital following a surge in coronavirus patients has been stood down after lasting for 24 hours, the hospital confirmed. Seven staff work at the pub and another six at its brewery. “I feel very sorry for all of them,” said Turner. “I’m hoping the help they say they’ll put in to assist with salaries will work properly.
Staff and residents at St Vincent’s retirement home have been using a combination of pen and paper and social media to send a message home to reassure families after the home was put on lockdown. “It’s going to be very difficult but we have to do what is morally right for the country as a whole. We have to do what is best for everyone. We will be closing down tonight.”
The chief constable of Merseyside police has tested positive for the coronavirus, the Liverpool Echo reports. An update from the Department of Health and Social Care:
Andy Cooke began self-isolating last week after displaying symptoms associated with the illness. He received confirmation that he had the condition today. As of 9am on 20 March, a total of 66,976 people in the UK have been tested for coronavirus: 62,993 negative. 3,983 positive.
As of this morning, 32 cases had been confirmed on Merseyside, with 13 in Liverpool. As of 1pm, 177 patients who tested positive for coronavirus have sadly died.
EasyJet will ground the majority of its aircraft fleet from Tuesday 24 March, the airline has announced. Q: What support will the government provide for charities and voluntary groups, who will be facing extra strain from the economic crisis?
It will conclude rescue flights to repatriate customers by Monday, and will at most continue to run “a minimal schedule” of essential, mainly domestic routes. Rishi Sunak says the government’s business rate relief schemes will help the charity sector, who are also covered by today’s unprecedented wage protection scheme.
With so many no-shows in recent weeks, EasyJet urged customers who do not intend to travel to rebook now to match any remaining flights to demand. He also suggests the government could increased funding for voluntary community groups.
The airline has asked staff to take three months unpaid leave, but angered unions by also trying to reduce terms and conditions such as flexible rosters and meals. The announcements made by the chancellor during the press conference have gone down well with Frances O’Grady, the general secretary of the Trades Union Congress.
Data from Italy indicates the coronavirus fatality rate is twice as high for men across all age groups, according to Dr Deborah Birx, the White House coronavirus task force response coordinator. She said the chancellor had shown “real leadership” and called the measures announced “a breakthrough”.
Birx reiterated the virus appears to be less deadly for younger people, but she emphasised younger people still need to take precautions. The communities secretary Robert Jenrick has said the new social distancing measures announced by the Prime Minister will be in place for 14 days then reviewed, and has also provided a definitive list of places that are to close.
“No one is immune,” Birx said. “We know it’s highly contagious to everyone. Do not interpret mild or moderate disease as lack of contagion or that you’re immune.” These are:
You can follow all our US coverage here. Food & drink venues
A small transport operation, but one close to the Prime Minister’s heart, has fallen victim to the coronavirus. Pubs, bars and clubs
The Emirates Air Line – the east London cable car built on the instructions of the then mayor, Boris Johnson – will stop operating indefinitely from tomorrow. Cinemas, theatres, concert and bingo halls
The total number of confirmed coronavirus-related deaths in the UK now stands at 177. Spas, indoor leisure and gyms
There have been 167 in England, six in Scotland, three in Wales and one in Northern Ireland. Casinos & betting shops
The number of deaths across the UK is up 40 on the equivalent total for yesterday – the biggest day-on-day rise since the outbreak began. Museums & galleries
The first coronavirus-related death in the UK was reported 15 days ago, on March 5. Boris Johnson said of people not practising social distancing:
Manchester Airport will work from a single terminal following a fall in passenger numbers due to the coronavirus pandemic. Q: How much will the government’s economic rescue plan cost, and how will you pay for it?
A spokesman said from Wednesday the airport, which has three terminals, will only operate Terminal One: Rishi Sunak says it is a “significant intervention”, but doesn’t put a sum on it (perhaps because he simply doesn’t know how long it will last).
Luxury perfumer Miller Harris is donating its entire stock of 11,000 hand washes, hand lotion and hard soaps as treats for the elderly via Age UK. It will be financed through the usual government borrowing channels - which means the UK’s Debt Management Office will be issuing bonds (called ‘gilts’ in City jargon), to pay for it.
The company is distributing soaps and hand washes to Age UK across the country. Support workers will then deliver the package to those in need within their local areas.