Consumers switched from spending in supermarkets to dining out in August, says ONS

Retail sales in Great Britain fell unexpectedly in August amid severe supply chain disruption and as consumers switched more of their spending from supermarkets to pubs and restaurants after the easing of pandemic restrictions.

The Office for National Statistics said retail sales dropped by 0.9% in August after a steeper decline of 2.8% in July. While spending remains above pre-pandemic levels, City economists had forecast a rise of 0.5%.

QR code or paper document will be required for entry to nightclubs and large events from 1 October

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The Scottish parliament has approved plans for vaccine passports, which will come into force from 1 October for those seeking entry to nightclubs and large-scale events, despite fierce criticism from opposition parties and business leaders.

The SNP government’s proposal was passed with support from the Scottish Greens, who signed a cooperation deal with the Scottish government last month. It was despite Green co-leader Patrick Harvie previously warning vaccine passports posed “a real danger of generational injustice”.

Councils are considering whether to continue the emergency Covid measures for hospitality firms

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It is midmorning in London’s Soho, and the outdoor tables at many cafes and restaurants are already buzzing with regulars.

It is an alfresco scene that is set to change next month when Westminster council ends its scheme of evening road closures and pedestrianised streets that has turned parts of central London into a giant European-style outdoor bistro .

‘Freedom week’ is there to be enjoyed – just not too much or your neighbour will have all the clubs shut down

Happy freedom week , people in England! Or day. Or: hmm, well I’m not 100% clear on what the – I don’t think I need to wear a mask, any more? Kids can go to school, or something? Have they not already been going to school? Sorry, I’m out of the loop on coronavirus stuff. Is it still happening? Are we still doing coronavirus? Can a Tory MP text Laura Kuenssberg or Robert Peston what the new rules actually are so they can tweet them verbatim and I can figure out whether I’m legally allowed to go buy milk or not?

Anyway, we’re free again, but free crucially in that very English way, where anti-lockdown protesters are still protesting the lockdown we’re not in and we can enjoy freedom only under the Damoclean sword of the current government, which – and yes, I understand I am being pessimistic, but my psyche is irreparably wounded by the past 16 months of chaos – is always on the periphery, circling, threatening to take it all away. Enjoy your freedom, chaps! Enjoy your freedom, chapettes! But if any one of you steps out of line we’ll take back all the pubs and burn them to the ground.

Social distancing is feeding an appetite for a new generation of US-style drive-through restaurants

Drive-through restaurants used to be a US-inspired novelty but a big increase in custom during the pandemic means money is pouring into new UK sites, with even upmarket names looking to serve food through car windows for the first time.

New property research suggests that demand for drive-throughs has increased by 25% post-Covid with restaurant chains looking to open a total of 200 sites a year. The clamour comes as established names such as McDonald’s and Burger King face competition from North American brands such as Tim Hortons , famous for its coffee and doughnuts, and burger chain Wendy’s.

Sunny days should see the UK’s restaurants and pubs welcoming customers, but they face a staffing nightmare

Lunchtime in St Albans on a sunny weekday in half-term, and restaurants, bars and cafes are doing a roaring trade. Demand has bounced back strongly among residents of the Hertfordshire commuter town, who appear eager to eat and drink out again after lockdown.

And after months of enforced closure, hospitality venues, too, are pleased to have finally been able to reopen both their indoor and outdoor seating areas. But the easing of coronavirus restrictions has brought a fresh set of challenges.

Industry group says restrictions must be eased further under 21 June roadmap or pubs will remain ‘unviable’

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Britain’s pubs continued to pull fewer pints in the first week that venues opened indoors than before the pandemic after Covid restrictions led to a 20% slump in trade compared with pre-pandemic levels.

Pub owners have warned that despite welcoming customers back indoors from 17 May, and a boom in table bookings for restaurants and bars , turnover in the first week of reopening was 20% lower than in the same week in 2019 because of government restrictions and physical-distancing measures.

In the rush to go ‘back to normal’, must we sacrifice all the gains that have been made on disability inclusion?

Tables blocking the road. Chairs over flat curbs. Gazebos built on accessible parking. The surge in street dining since lockdown eased in England has been great for businesses, but not so much for wheelchair users and people with mobility conditions, who report being unable to get around their home towns due to the new blockages.

Many of these people have been stuck indoors for up to a year shielding, and on their first taste of freedom are now being blocked from getting to the shops or pub. “All I want to do is go and meet my friends and have a pint,” said Katie Pennick, a campaigner and wheelchair user, recently on BBC Radio 4. It’s not your typical civil rights slogan but it characterises the crunch of so much disability politics: disabled people deserve the right to have a life like everyone else.

High court judge to consider whether venues in England should be allowed indoor seating

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A “David versus Goliath” legal action gets under way at the hight court on Monday as hospitality bosses try to force the UK government to bring forward the reopening date for pubs and restaurants indoors.

A high court judge will this week consider evidence in the case brought by Sacha Lord, night-time economy adviser for Greater Manchester and a co-founder of Parklife festival, and Hugh Osmond, the founder of Punch Taverns and a former boss at Pizza Express. The case has been expedited.