By Paul Sandle and Phil Noble
LIVERPOOL, England, Oct 12 (Reuters) - The last pints could
be pulled in pubs across northern England this week as furious
bosses warn new coronavirus restrictions will wipe out their
businesses which are already reeling from a national lockdown
earlier this year.
With cases of COVID-19 surging and hospital admissions
rocketing, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Monday
unveiled a new three-tier lockdown local system to curb its
spread, with pubs and bars closed down in "very high" alert
areas.
Liverpool, birthplace of the Beatles and famed for its
soccer team, the current Premier League champions, and its
surrounding region will be the first to be placed into the
highest alert tier, meaning its drinking establishments face
closure from Wednesday.
Pub managers there reacted with disbelief and anger that
their city and their businesses were being singled out.
"My biggest worry as a boss and a licensee is my business
will have to close again and we may very well not come open next
time because there's no funds in the pot from last time," said
Francis Burleigh, landlady of The Beehive pub in Liverpool city
centre.
"The last lockdown I lost 6,500 pounds on beer alone and
3,500 on food and I'll not survive that this time," she added.
The infection rate in northwest England has been soaring in
recent weeks, and in Liverpool stands at just under 600 cases
per 100,000 people. Health chiefs say action is vital now to
prevent the hospitals being overrun and a rise in deaths.
(Writing by Michael Holden)