Pub owners have been plunged into “confusion” about whether they should require drinkers to show Covid status certificates from next week, ministers are being warned.
An industry group and Labour are criticising muddled government guidance – as No 10 hints that proof of vaccination, or of a negative test, could yet become compulsory if the pandemic worsens.
Nightclubs and large events are definitely being encouraged to require guests to prove their Covid status from so-called ‘Freedom Day’ in England next Monday.
But ministers have not said whether similar pressure will also be applied to pubs, with guidance yet to be published by the Cabinet Office.
The Night Time Industries Association said it is also concerned about the powers to be handed to local councils to impose stricter restrictions in Covid hotspot areas.
“There is a lot of chaos and confusion, given the short period of time before this comes in,” said Michael Kill, its chief executive.
“We are hearing suggestions that some local authorities will want to mandate table service and we don’t know if they will have greater powers than expected to do that.”
A Labour spokesman criticised the confusion, saying: “Burying an announcement of this significance in the small print is deeply unhelpful – businesses are crying out for clarity and certainty about what is expected of them.
“The government must provide more information about what this announcement entails as a matter of urgency.”
The party accused ministers of “passing the buck to businesses and individuals with vague and unclear advice, with no details about how this would work”.
It is widely expected that busy pubs will also be urged to use the ‘NHS Covid Pass’, which is being advised “in high risk settings to help to limit the risk of infection”.
Downing Street insists the pass is “very simple and accessible” and said it would be happy for long-distance train services to also ask for them, a policy now introduced in France.
In a further hint that pubs are in the government’s sights, it encouraged them in places where people are “likely to be in close proximity to others outside their household”.
And existing guidance, issued late on Monday, states: “If sufficient measures are not taken to limit infection, the government will consider mandating the NHS Covid Pass in certain venues at a later date.
That has prompted the British Beer & Pub Association to warn of the imposition of “unnecessary and unfair restrictions on pubs via the backdoor”, in future.
On Monday, announcing that venues can return to full capacity from next Monday, Boris Johnson said: “As a matter of social responsibility, we’re urging nightclubs and other venues with large crowds to make use of the NHS Covid Pass.”
But Kate Nicholls, the chief executive of UKHospitality, said it was vital that the industry was “able to keep trading without restrictions through the autumn and beyond”.
“Individual businesses will take all necessary measures to keep staff and customers safe, measures which will undoubtedly differ from business to business,” she pledged.
