The lifting of restrictions in England has sparked a debate about table service in pubs

On Monday, Boris Johnson announced plans to end all social distancing and Covid-related restrictions in the UK from July 19, a move that has caused some division.

The prime minister is aiming to “restore people’s freedoms” with measures – including mask-wearing – set to be abolished in England later this month. This comes amid a rise in cases related to the Delta variant, however ministers believe the vaccination rollout has managed to cut the number of people suffering from a serious bout of Covid or hospitalisation. Scientists are still encouraging people to be cautious once the restrictions are lifted.

This will effectively return life to “normal” – or something that starts to resemble what life was like before March 2020 – and this includes pubs and nightclubs. Ordering at the bar in pubs will return and customers will no longer be required to sit at a table of six. Registering your presence at a venue via the NHS app will not be required either.

While this may be seen as good news for some, not everyone is keen as it would appear that many have gotten used to – and actually enjoy – table service in pubs, which is quite frankly a lot easier than waiting to get served at a bar for 20 minutes.

However, some are happy to see the return of ordering at the bar

That being said, the overwhelming consensus is that table service is good and many want it to stay but it will most likely depend on bar staff available and the number of people in a pub at one time.

Although it is no longer a legal requirement, some venues may still implement one-way systems and provide extra sanitation. Some may still ask people to check-in via the NHS App in order to help the Test and Trace service keep track of coronavirus.

A spokesperson for the prime minister said: “The guidance will be that it is a good thing to do to support Test and Trace and contact tracing. But as more people are allowed into venues without booking, it becomes more challenging operationally so the regulation will be lifted.

“The regulations on things like table service go, all capacity limits would be lifted after that, and in addition to that, the gathering limits for the rule of six indoors and 30 outdoors would be lifted. The remaining businesses that are closed in law will be able to reopen, including nightclubs.”