New legislation announced by Boris Johnson and which comes into force on Wednesday will force pubs in some parts of the country to close form Wednesday.
The country is being divided into three tiers depending on how high the rate of coronavirus infections is - with those facing the most serious spread placed into Tier Three.
Among the rules, pubs in Tier Three areas, which will include Liverpool, have to close.
But the rules state alcohol can be served in pubs if it is served alongside a meal, in areas within the “very high” tier.
Outlining what constitutes a meal, the legislation refers to a “table meal”, which is one which might be expected to be served as “the main midday or main evening meal”, or as a main course at either of those meal times.
This would seem to clear up any earlier confusion about whether punters could just order a packet of crisps in order to get a pint within the law.
In places facing Tier 3 measures, pubs and bars will be forced to close unless they can function as restaurants serving “substantial” meals.
The regulations, published on Monday, further explain that “a ‘table meal” is a meal eaten by a person seated at a table, or at a counter or other structure which serves the purpose of a table and is not used for the service of refreshments for consumption by persons not seated at a table or structure serving the purposes of a table.
