CORONAVIRUS EMERGENCY: A FULL YEAR SINCE BRIGG PUBS FIRST SHUT BY ORDER

Tomorrow (March 21) it will be exactly one year since the Coronvirus emergency caused Brigg pubs and sit-down eateries to remain closed to customers - on strict orders from the Government.
We noted that many Brigg people who were used to being out and about instead spent "an unusual weekend at home" being unable to enjoy a restaurant meal or visit local bars due to the blanket UK closure implemented from midnight on Friday, March 20 in an effort to stem the spread of Covid-19.
"Those of us used to venturing out to socialise were confined to barracks, to use a forces' term, on Saturday and Sunday," Brigg Blog reflected the following Monday in a post headed Weekend Reflections as Brigg pubs & restaurants are ordered to close.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson's shutdown announcement came on a Friday afternoon, not giving licensees and restaurateurs much notice, although they sensed it was coming.
In terms of bars, Brigg saw a staggered closure on the evening of March 20 - the Britannia, Yarborough Hunt, Black Bull and Wetherspoon's bolting their doors before the Dying Gladiator, the Woolpack, the Lord Nelson and the Exchange. The closure order took effect at midnight.
We added a year ago: "There's no indication how long the ban on pubs and restaurants will last; this will be dictated by the virus and the effectiveness of the measures put in place to halt its spread."
We hoped the Government would be able to lift the restrictions before May 8, 2020 when major celebrations were planned in Brigg to mark the 75th anniversary of VE Day - the end of the Second World War in Europe. However, restrictions remained in place.
"Takeaways are being allowed to trade as normal, and some of our sit-down restaurants and eateries already offer this service," we noted last March. "Others can now opt to follow suit with 'change of use' planning regulations being waived during the current emergency. Please do your best to favour Brigg businesses with your custom during what is going to be a tough time."
Over the past year we've had a couple of periods during which bars have been permitted to open on a limited basis, as long as they recorded customers' names, provided hand sanitisers, spaced seating, ensured social distancing and brought orders to the table to avoid queues for service at the bar.
The latest lockdown affecting licensed premises is set to be relaxed from April 12, but only for outdoor 'table service'. Hopefully it won't be too long before normal (full) service can be resumed.

PICTURED: Wetherspoon's White Horse pub in Brigg town centre on the evening of Friday, March 20, 2020 just after it closed to comply with the Government's directive.