Return of beer gardens shelved

Scots hospitality bosses said they are “bitterly disappointed” that plans to reopen beer gardens, along with outside spaces at cafes and restaurants, have been delayed.

Nicola Sturgeon warned that new evidence suggests pubs and restaurants, even outside areas, could be “hotspots” for the spread of coronavirus as she announced the delay yesterday.

Further research will be carried out alongside a review of the two metre social distancing rule in Scotland, amid calls for the latter to be halved by hospitality leaders.

Outdoor eating and drinking areas had been earmarked for reopening in stage two of lockdown which was announced yesterday.

They could still be given the green light in the later stages of this phase but Ms Sturgeon claimed there was “very strong emerging evidence” that pubs and restaurants could be sites of coronavirus “superspreading”.

The Government’s scientific advisory group has been asked to carry out more research into how and when they can be safely reopened.

“When there are these risks, it would be reckless and irresponsible of me not to understand them better before taking decisions to reopen pubs,” she said. “It is important that we better understand this evidence, and what further mitigation might be necessary to protect people in such spaces, before we permit them to open.”

Indoor pubs had expected to reopen on July 15 as part of the wider hospitality and tourism return, but it is not clear if this will happen as a result of the new concerns that they may be hotspots for the spread of the virus.

Ms Sturgeon said she hopes to have further evidence by July 2, when she will make a decision about whether pubs can open their beer gardens “or if further mitigations are required ahead of phase three”.

She added: “I appreciate this