Coronavirus Scotland: Nicola Sturgeon orders two-week pub ban across large parts of country

Announcing the new restrictions in the Scottish Parliament, Ms Sturgeon said that she was making £40m available to assist businesses affected by the new restrictions.

The new measures will come into effect from 6pm on Friday 9 October and last through two weeks and three weekends to 25 October, and come as the UK government in London is understood to be considering a similar “circuit breaker” plan.

All licensed premises in the Greater Glasgow and Clyde, Lanarkshire, Ayrshire and Arran, Lothian and Forth Valley health board areas – covering the whole of the populous central belt area, including capital Edinburgh – will be closed for both indoor and outdoor operations.

In the rest of the country, indoor hospitality venues will be allowed to operate only between 6am and 6pm daily and will be barred from selling alcoholic drinks. 

Outdoor bars, restaurants and cafes outside the five health board areas will be allowed to remain open up until 10pm and will be allowed to sell alcohol up to that time.

People in the central belt of Scotland have been asked to avoid public transport unless absolutely necessary in the next two weeks.

While a travel restriction is not being enforced on people in the central belt, Ms Sturgeon urged those living in these areas not to travel beyond their own health boards.

The First Minister said: “I’m well aware that the measures I have outlined today are disruptive to many businesses – obviously especially hospitality businesses – and they will be unwelcome to many people across the country. 

“But although they are significant as they need to be to make an impact, they do not represent a lockdown. In fact they are designed to reduce the likelihood of a future lockdown. 

“We’re not requiring people to stay inside all day as we were earlier in the year. Schools will stay open, learning will continue in our universities and colleges, shops will continue to trade, businesses like manufacturing and construction will continue. 

“And these new restrictions are intended to last for 16 days, they are intended to be short, sharp action to arrest a worrying increase in infection.” 

Despite the recent spike in infections north of the border, Ms Sturgeon stressed that cases are not rising as quickly as in March, and are currently just 13% of the highest point of the pandemic.

But she warned that without the temporary restrictions there was “a very real risk that the virus will run out of control by the end of this month”. 

“With them, we hope to slow down its spread,” she said. “That will help us keep schools and businesses, including hospitality businesses, open over the winter.

“And fundamentally, it will also save lives.”