BONKERS new rules will require pubs with people dancing to inspect vaccine passports – but only after 1am.
It means bar bosses will have to check if boozed-up punters are double-jabbed or Covid-free if they’re still drinking into the small hours.
Plan B restrictions launching on Wednesday means people have to prove they’re fully-vaxxed or have tested negative to enter large and crowded venues.
It includes nightclubs, football stadiums and musical festivals, while pubs are supposed to be exempt.
However a daft loophole in the regulations means late-night boozers with dancefloors will also be included once the clock strikes 1am.
Barmy regs says that any bar that provides music, a dancefloor and serves alcohol will be subject to the rule.
The government website says: “The manager is not required to check the COVID-19 status of anyone who leaves the venue before 1am but must take reasonable measures to ensure that everyone who remains in, or enters, the premises after 1am has the NHS COVID Pass.”
It suggests that either bosses check all vaccine passports throughout the night just in case – or go from punter-to-punter at 1am checking their passes.
Brits slammed the “nonsense” rules that could see them forced to turn over their passes at 1am after spending the whole evening in the same bar.
Alastair Kerr from the Campaign For Pubs told Trending In The News: “This particular section of Government advice on pubs that are open beyond 1am is not only absurd, nonsensical madness but yet again takes no consideration for the hardship this damaging policy will cause on our struggling pubs and wider hospitality sector.
“This type of advice is damaging, and is completely unworkable in any pub in the UK. It fails to take many things into consideration and has clearly been made without any consultation with anyone in the trade.
“This type of advice and the threat of more restrictions are already destroying consumer confidence in our industry, as pubs in the UK head into their busiest trading period of the year, this is certainly the last thing they need.”
Boris Johnson is facing a huge Tory revolt against vaccine passports in tonight’s crunch vote.
More than 80 of his backbenchers are preparing to rebel, putting the PM in the politically perilous position of relying on Labour support to ram through the changes.
If passed vaccine passports will come into effect at 6am Wednesday.
