Pubs and bars in England and Wales will soon face a significant change in regulations, as the government’s permission to serve takeaway pints through hatches to customers in the street will come to an end in September. The licensing scheme, which was introduced in July 2020 to support businesses during the coronavirus pandemic, will not be extended, leaving venues with the need to apply for approval from local councils if they wish to continue offering takeaway sales of pints.
The decision comes after the scheme was already extended twice during the pandemic, allowing pubs to provide drinks on the street without needing additional permission if they had a license for outdoor seating. However, after the deadline in September, venues with an on-site license will have to modify their current licenses to accommodate takeaway pint sales.
