'It's not very hospitable' - Council officials enforcement of Covid rules puts off punters

21 October 2020, 08:38

Council officials have been in pubs with the electoral roll

By EJ Ward

One publican has revealed to LBC council officials have been in his bars checking people against the electoral roll as a bid to enforce the rules.

Amid the conversation over a letter from the Metropolitan Police to publicans advising them to ask customers for photo ID as well as details of names and addresses LBC's Nick Ferrari spoke to Mark Davies from Hawthorn Leisure.

The boss of the pub group told Nick that at the moment the current rules do not require people to have photo ID.

However, Nick pointed out in London the Met Police has written to pub owners suggesting this should be a requirement.

Mr Davies said his publicans are "trained to do hospitality, they're not trained police officers or Government officials."

Shockingly he then revealed that in some of his pubs' council officials have been going to extreme lengths to ensure the coronavirus restrictions are being obeyed.

"We've had people going into our pubs in the last few days with an electoral roll asking for proof of address, this doesn't feel like a hospitable environment and it's creating animosity."

The letter from Scotland Yard said: "Premises should take steps to satisfy themselves that the group (maximum six people) is only from one household or part of a support bubble. This could include requesting photographic identification with names and addresses."

Emma McClarkin, of the British Beer & Pub Association, told the Daily Mail: "Expecting pubs to demand all customers produce photographic identification with names and addresses would be fundamentally inappropriate and completely unacceptable."