Boris Johnson Breaks His Own Pub Rules Again

The prime minister messes up again

Boris Johnson broke his own coronavirus reopening rules for a second time by pulling a pint maskless inside a Hartlepool pub late last week. He was there for a photo opportunity with Jill Mortimer to celebrate the by-election which saw her elected MP, but caught the attention of “Yummy Pubs” owner Tim Foster, according to Hospitality and Catering News. It’s the second time Johnson has broken his own rules in recent weeks, having done so in Wolverhampton when pubs reopened outdoors.

As in Wolverhampton, in the grand scheme of things this is a minor infraction, but as part of the grand scheme of things, it’s yet another example of the government bungling coronavirus messaging in an entirely avoidable fashion out of an undetermined combination of arrogance and apathy. With an announcement due on the next stage of the coronavirus reopening roadmap — which will permit indoor drinking and dining — the timing couldn’t really be worse.

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• U.S. burger slinger Wendy’s is planning to open 400 U.K. restaurants, as the fast food land grab continues and it gears up to open its first U.K. restaurant in a couple of decades.
• Traiteur/deli Colette will open a second site in Wimbledon Village this summer.
• Good tweet: