Hotel and restaurant forced to close their doors

A popular Fife pub gave locals a boost amid the coronavirus chaos by offering cut price pints, just hours before closing its doors until further notice.

Proprietors of The Guardbridge Inn said yesterday evening would mark the pub’s last service for the time being, and thanked staff and the pub’s regulars for their support.

With beer still in the lines the pub offered all draughts for just £2 until the barrels have run dry.

Claire Trimble, a partner and chef at The Guardbridge Inn, said: “We’ve been getting quieter as the outbreak was getting worse, but once people have been told to stay away it’s really like the final nail in the coffin.

“We just really need to close as quickly as possible so we can actually reopen again if and when we come out the other side of this.”

Meanwhile, The Newport Restaurant, run by celebrity chef Jamie Scott and partner Kelly, is also closing until further notice from Monday.

MasterChef winner Jamie said: “To say we are devastated is an understatement.

“We hope to be able to rebuild Newport in the future and will do all we can to do so.

“We would especially like to thank our staff who have been so very loyal to us over the years and supported us no end.

“They are very much our family in this and we would not be where we are now without each of them.”

The Newport is hoping to “reshape” its bakery to offer home-cooked meals, pre-orders and deliveries in a five-day operation. More details of this service will follow.

Newport owner Jamie Scott.