Many pubs and restaurants have spent months closed now, with the regional restrictions and national lockdown piling strain on the hospitality industry. But ministers have been reluctant to provide clear pathways out of the recent restrictions. They have now supplied a tentative date when restaurants and pubs could return.
Can you go back to pubs after Easter?
The national lockdown has now lasted more than a month, with people unable to meet friends, family or go out for a drink and meal.
Officials have provided little news of when the country could find its way out of the restrictions, which have also caused economic woes for businesses.
The lack of direction has frustrated some in Parliament, notably members of the Covid Recovery Group (CRG).
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Speaking to BBC Breakfast last week, he revealed doing so would be a “big if”, however.
He said: “It’s a very big if because there are so many unknowns, new variants that are happening in different parts of the world that could make a difference here in the United Kingdom.
“But with vaccination, and with numbers falling, provided we reopen society carefully and cautiously and don’t allow the virus to get away from us again, we can see a path into the spring.”
Mr Drakeford added by then people could hopefully “go back to doing some of the things that we’re all missing so much.”
