Drinkers around England won't be able to prop up the bars at their regular haunts after Boris Johnson announced a nationwide lockdown.
Despite the prime minster's plea for people not to enjoy "one last pint" on Friday night, a few establishments reported an influx of customers before last orders.
For others, a quiet week continued as it had started, and their final night of trading was marked by empty seats.
“"I think the measures the Chancellor announced this evening are going to greatly help business and give us the confidence we can support our workforce."” Lawrence Barton
Lawrence Barton, Owner of The Loft in Birmingham, went on to say how badly the hospitality service had been decimated. He believes the Chancellors statement will now have provided business owners with the confidence needed to take the measure they need to secure as many jobs as possible.
Pubs in Tunbridge Wells, Leeds and Devon also faced similar issues. Anthony Price closed the doors of the Bedford pub in Tunbridge Wells at 20:00 GMT. The staff took over £500 in their last hour and were forced to turn away dozens of people shortly before closing.
The owners had considered closing earlier in the week, but had waited to receive the government order to close "because we didn't know whether the insurance companies would cover us".
