National lockdown lifted across England today, with restaurants, salons, non-essential stores and more businesses allowed to open their doors .
The country has now moved into a tougher tiered lockdown system, with Liverpool City Region placed into Tier 2.
This means that non-essential shops, salons, bowling alleys and restaurants can open , though restrictions have been placed on bars and pubs, which can only open if they can operate as a restaurant.
This means that they must be able to provide a ‘substantial meal’ alongside any alcohol they want to sell.
The term "substantial meal" has caused some confusion for people around the UK, wondering what qualifies and what doesn't.
According to GOV UK, during a substantial meal "full table service must be provided" and the person eating must be seated.
Thankfully, Dr Hilary cleared it up this week on Good Morning Britain, reports CambridgeshireLive.
The medical expert told hosts Susanna Reid and Piers Morgan that a substantial meal in a pub would be a 'sit down meal', as opposed to 'a snack'.
This comes after George Eustice, Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, said a Scotch egg would 'probably' count as a substantial meal for the purposes of Covid-19 pub rules.
The minister added that the hearty highland sausage snack would allow pubgoers to order a drink, so long as it was served at a table.
Tier 2 rules mean alcoholic drinks can only be served in a bar or pub if ordered alongside a substantial meal, and customers have to leave once the meal is over.
Discussing the matter on the ITV show, Dr Hilary said: "You can question everything in minute detail, but for me, the idea of it is that people are clamouring to go to have a meal out at a restaurant or a pub - a proper meal out, not a snack - as an excuse to have a few drinks.
"But I think a substantial meal was meant, in the spirit of it, though it wasn't clearly defined, was meant to be a sit down meal - the kind of meal you would have at lunch on a Sunday at home or go to a restaurant to have."
Susanna Reid added: "The issue of course is for pub owners mainly, because they need to know are they going to be fined if they serve a sandwich because it's not a substantial meal but not get fined if they serve a scotch egg.
"So although for us it's just a sort of 'oh can I have that or can't I?' But for restaurateurs and pub owners it actually is a really serious issue isn't it, because it is about compliance with the rules."
You can find the full list of Tier 2 rules here.
