Coronavirus in Scotland: Nicola Sturgeon extends restrictions on hospitality as the country sees highest number of deaths since May

The First Minister has announced the current restrictions on Scotland’s hospitality sector have been extended until next week.

The temporary lockdown rules imposed on pubs and restaurants on October 9 were due to finish on Sunday this week.

But following a cabinet meeting on Wednesday morning, Ms Sturgeon confirmed the Scottish Government has decided to extend the restrictions until 6am on November 2.

The current rules are particularly strict in the Central Belt – Greater Glasgow and Clyde, Lanarkshire, Ayrshire and Arran, Lothian and Forth Valley health board areas – where pubs and restaurants have to remain closed and can only serve takeaway.

The Piper Bar in Glasgow being boarded up for lockdown picture: John Devlin/JPI Media

Cafes in these areas have been exempt, provided they do not serve alcohol.

Across the rest of Scotland, licensed premises are still restricted to serving between 6am and 6pm for another week. If they wish to serve alcohol, it has to be outside where customers can drink until the 10pm curfew which was imposed last month.

The announcement comes during the First Minister’s daily briefing to the nation where she revealed 28 new deaths have been recorded in Scotland in the last 24 hours, the highest daily figure since May 21.

Breaking news picture: JPI Media

A total of 1,739 people have tested positive for the virus since yesterday bringing the total number of coronavirus cases in the country to 50,903.

Of those cases, 605 are in Greater Glasgow and Clyde, 520 in Lanarkshire, 250 in the Lothians and 105 in Ayrshire and Arran

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