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Councils want powers to shut pubs and clubs that flout social distancing rules and fuel spread of Covid-19

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Councils have demanded new powers to close down pubs and clubs that are fueling the spread of Covid-19 by breaching social distancing rules.

The Local Government Association (LGA) says there is evidence of pubs and clubs flouting the rules by cramming in drinkers and failing to record details of their customers.

It follows an outbreak in Staffordshire when a pub failed to take customers' names - meaning they cannot be traced - after hundreds were crammed in and ten people caught the virus.

The LGA has urged the Government to rewrite the Licensing Act so that pubs or clubs could be closed down if they were judged to pose a risk to public health because of their lax approach to social distancing or collecting customers’ names.

At present, the LGA said that councils can only act under health and safety legislation, which is less specific and makes it harder to intervene.

“These can only be used where there is already a serious and imminent risk to public health,” said the LGA.

“Extending licensing powers would mean councils could act quickly and proactively in cracking down on places that flout the guidance, to prevent problems in the first place instead of only being able to act when it is too late.”

The LGA proposed a temporary public health or COVID-19 objective in the Licensing Act which currently does not allow councils to take action on public health grounds, such as where COVID-19 guidelines are not being followed.

Nesil Caliskan, Chair of the LGA’s safer communities board, said: “Some councils are beginning to see isolated cases where the guidelines are not being followed and they are limited in what they can do to stop it. This is clearly a danger to communities, putting people at risk of infection.

“It needs to be mandatory for premises to follow this government safety guidance and councils need the right powers to intervene and take action if necessary. It does not take long for this virus to spread if allowed. While councils do not want to have to shut anywhere down, business owners need to know that councils have the power to act if local communities are put at risk.”