Is any song more lucrative than ‘Happy Birthday’?

Last orders

The new tier restrictions have made life difficult for pubs. How many are closed?

— According to the British Beer and Pub Association, 16,500 of England’s 37,000 pubs have had to close for everything except takeaway owing to their being in Tier 3 areas.

— Of the 21,000 pubs in Tier 2 areas, 14,000 have had to remain closed because they are unviable if they can’t serve drinkers without also serving a substantial meal.

— That leaves 732 pubs in Tier 1 areas which can open more or less as normal.

— The number of pubs has fallen by 22 per cent this century. However, 2019 saw the first year-on-year rise, with a net gain of 320 pubs across the country.

Payback – or not

Most popular

Druin Burch

Lucy Letby and the killer nurse I worked with

Banks were reported to be trying to end a voluntary agreement made last year to refund more victims of ‘push-payment’ fraud, whereby customers are tricked into making a payment to fraudsters.