Pubs are the wrong place to pick a fight with coronavirus

Some might observe the new 10pm curfew, says Ian Hamilton, but there will be many who will either start drinking earlier or carry on elsewhere after the pubs are closed

New coronavirus restrictions mean pubs must shut at 10pm (Getty Images)

In announcing a curfew for pubs Boris Johnson clearly believes that restricting people’s drinking time is a necessary infringement on liberty if we are to halt the rising number of Covid-19 infections. This is of course not the first time that pubs and the wider hospitality sector has been singled out for special measures aimed at defeating the virus. It’s becoming clear that pubs are the new battleground in the government’s war on Covid.

Undoubtedly, alcohol impairs judgement.  No matter your good intentions prior to going out, they are likely to slip away as you drink. In that sense, it seems logical to restrict the amount of time that people can drink. This would probably work if pubs and restaurants were the only places to purchase alcohol, but they aren’t. Thanks to successive governments we have seen a loosening of licensing laws that mean we have almost unlimited access to booze, from petrol stations to supermarkets and everywhere in-between.