A North East MP has said pubs, bars and restaurants with outside spaces should be allowed to open them sooner than the government plans to help save the hospitality industry.
At present, as part of the government's so-called road map out of the Covid lockdown, they are due to open from April 12 at the earliest.
Yet Emma Lewell-Buck, who represents South Shields, said this was inconsistent with other measures announced and made no sense.
It was announced on Monday that five weeks earlier, from March 8, recreation in outdoor spaces like parks will be allowed between two people while from March 29 outdoor gatherings of either six people or two households will be allowed. It is understood this will include gatherings in private gardens.
Ms Lewell-Buck said: "It seems safer to me to have people meet outside in a Covid safe environment where there is social distancing in place overseen by staff, hand sanitisers for use by customers and tables which are regularly cleaned. Customers also leave their phone number for track and trace.
"The hospitality business has been absolutely battered throughout this pandemic. When they were last open they were Covid safe and secure and there was little evidence of them contributing to the spread of the virus.
"Then the government introduced the arbitrary 10pm curfew which they are not able to this day to show why it was introduced."
During Prime Ministers Questions on Monday, Ms Lewell-Buck took Boris Johnson to task over the matter. She said: "The Prime Minister's handling of this pandemic has been marked by false promises and inconsistent messaging.
"Hospitality was Covid secure yet they were imposed with an arbitrary curfew then closed down and today this industry which is the life blood of coastal tourist towns like mine have heard that people can meet outside in a park yet outdoor areas at safe, regulated pubs, bars and restaurants can't open until April. They simply can't see the logic behind this."
In his reply in the Commons, Mr Johnson said the logic was found in attempts to contain the pandemic.
Speaking today Ms Lewell-Buck was dismissive of the Prime Minister's reply which made no sense and said the PM should re-think his strategy and allow hospitality businesses with outdoor spaces to be allowed to open them.
She said: "Some businesses are literally hanging on by a thread and there are already some that won't re-open again, there is so much uncertainty.
"I've spoken to local businesses who have said they can't wait any longer, they need something soon yet they feel like they are being punished."
