Britons enjoyed what could be their last night out in 2020 before pubs and bars are required to comply with a new 10 p.m. curfew imposed in order to curb the spread of the coronavirus.
While Prime Minister Boris Johnson allowed businesses to stay open in a "COVID-compliant way", all pubs, bars and restaurants should operate as "table-service only" except for take-aways.
Netizens shared photos on social media of their last time in pub after 10 pm.
On 22 September, PM Johnson tightened coronavirus-related restrictions to stem an uptick in cases. He clarified that the new restrictions did not imply a full total lockdown, ordering pubs, bars, and restaurants to close early and advising people go back to working from home.
UK Chief medical officer Chris Whitty and UK Chief scientific adviser Patrick Vallance warned earlier that the country could face a daily increase of up to 50,000 cases and 200 deaths by mid-October if the government's response remains as it is. The Johnson government revealed that the number of cases in the UK was currently doubling every seven days.