Bars and pubs shut due to coronavirus cases just days after reopening

‘This isn’t the message we wanted to write so soon,’ says one establishment after customer tests positive

Several pubs have shut just days after reopening as customers who visited tested positive for coronavirus.

Drinkers were welcomed back to the pubs in England over the weekend after months in lockdown, which badly hit the hospitality industry.

But three establishments have since had to shut their doors to patrons again after cases of Covid-19 emerged.

The Lighthouse Kitchen and Carvery, in Burnham-on-Sea, Somerset, said a customer had tested positive and it was making its way through a list of people who visited the establishment on Saturday.

“This isn’t the message we wanted to write so soon but The Lighthouse will be closed due to a customer testing positive to Covid-19,” it said on its Facebook page.

“All our staff are going to be tested and we will reopen when the time is safe to do so. Thanks to all the positive phone calls.”

In Batley, West Yorkshire, The Fox and Hounds pub said it would be closed until further notice after receiving a call from a customer saying they had tested positive for the virus on Monday.

In a Facebook post, it said the infected customer was “unaware and had no symptoms” at the time of their visit on Saturday, “but after seeing a post of another place they’d visited thought it was best to take a test”.

“Myself and all staff have taken a test today and we should have results back within 48 hours,” said owner Jake, reassuring patrons the pub will be deep-cleaned and reopened when it was safe to do so.

“We fully understand this is a scary time but want to ensure our customer safety is our main priority in these tough times.”

The Village Home pub in Alverstoke, Gosport, also closed its doors as it had “a case of coronavirus in the pub”.

In a statement on Facebook, the establishment said: “The pub is now shut but all being well will open again on Saturday. Anyone who was in the pub over the weekend there is no need to isolate unless you show symptoms or are contacted direct by the trace group. Thank you and hope to see you soon.”

The new cases come after the chair of the Police Federation said it was “crystal clear” that drunk people are unable to socially distance, following scenes of packed streets and venues, and hundreds of drink-related incidents reported to police.

Additional reporting by PA