Fergus Finlay: Last orders for pubs that cannot obey coronavirus rules

We must stop listening to nonsense from people whose expertise is in the business of special pleading on behalf of vested interests

Pubs that flout the Covid-19 rules should be shut by the authorities.

We’ve got to get a grip. It’s time for the reckless and the irresponsible to be shut down. There should be no second chances for pubs and other venues that can’t obey the rules. When they’re caught, they should simply be closed by the authorities and their licences to trade automatically suspended.

And it should happen in a way that puts the onus of proof firmly on them to establish that they can ever again be trusted in the future. An awful lot of these places hire bouncers to keep people they regard as undesirable out. There’s enough evidence now to suggest that some undesirables are in charge of some venues.