Pubs breaking Covid rules face closure under new emergency laws

Pubs which fail to observe strict Covid restrictions aimed at suppressing the virus face being shut down under new emergency laws, Nicola Sturgeon has announced.

Nicola Sturgeon said individual pubs could now face closure

And police will also be handed new powers to disperse “house parties” amid growing concerns that such gatherings are helping driving up Covid cases in Scotland.

It comes after 77 new cases were recorded in Scotland yesterday, a three month high, and the SNP leader admitted there are growing concerns over local outbreaks in Aberdeen and Coupar Angus, as well in schools.

The outbreak in Granite City was linked to the reopening of pubs just over a month ago and Ms Sturgeon told MSPs at Holyrood today she is concerned about the small number of pubs failing to observe rules on collecting customer contact details and enforcing social distancing.

“We therefore intend to strengthen the power of local authorities to act in these circumstances,” Ms Sturgeon said as she made her three-weekly updated onlockdown measures to MSPs.

"The Scottish Government has powers under emergency legislation to issue directions in respect of a class of premises - for example, to close all pubs in a

particular postcode.

“We intend to give local authorities the power to act in respect of individual, specific premises that are breaching guidelines and risking transmission of the virus.

“This power would enable local authorities either to close such premises - or to impose conditions on their opening - where they deem that is necessary for the purpose of preventing, protecting against, or controlling the spread of infection.”

Gathering inside houses are restricted to eight people from no more than three households, but there are growing concerns about the prevalence of house parties breaching such restrictions across Scotland.

“We know that large house parties pose a very real and significant risk of clusters and outbreaks,” Ms Sturgeon added.

“So - for use in cases of flagrant breach and as a last resort - we intend to give the police powers of enforcement to break up and disperse large indoor gatherings.”

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