DRINKERS sank takeaway pints at London’s Borough Market today avoiding social distancing and queueing without masks.
Boozers made the most of current lockdown measures before strict Tier 2 lockdown rules ban pubs serving booze without food.
Borough Market, based in central London, was bustling earlier today with crowds travelling to the market to take advantage of the market which has remained open over lockdown.
The streets surrounding the market were packed with the majority enjoying their takeaway pints from the boozers near the market.
Pictures show drinkers flouting social distancing rules while huddling in groups.
Others queued in long lines for pints and food choosing not to wear their face coverings.
It comes as England prepares to leave its second lockdown on December 2 and re-enter the tier system.
Boris Johnson yesterday effectively put all of England under the toughest two Covid tiers — apart from a lucky one per cent.
Around 55million people have gone into Tiers 2 or 3, while only the Isle of Wight, Cornwall and Isle of Scilly are in Tier 1.
People living there will face few restrictions and be free to mingle indoors.
Those in Tier 2 – including London and Liverpool – can only drink in pubs serving a substantial meal and cannot mix with other households indoors.
The government’s definition of a substantial meal is a “full breakfast, main lunchtime or evening meal”.
Establishments will refuse to serve booze to customers who only order bar snacks – it has to be a meal.
The new rules apply to revellers sitting inside and outside, and are on top of the Covid-secure regulations.
Bars and pubs that don’t serve substantial meals will have to close.
Yesterday a Covid marshal with a megaphone told laughing crowds eating takeaways “Covid can kill you” in a bid to break them up.
The woman – wearing a hi-vis jacket – was seen patrolling through groups of punters tucking into their lunch at the central London market.
Clutching a megaphone, she tells them: “That food is to be taken away.
“Please keep two metres apart.
“Covid can kill you”.
The marshal then joined in laughing with a group of girls who giggled as she asked them to stay two metres apart.
She also apologised for getting in the way of customers queuing for food as she continued doing her job in London Bridge.
