The UK hospitality industry plans to take legal action to stop new local lockdown rules that could force pub, clubs and other venues to close.
Trade body the Night Time Industries Association (NTIA) said there was no evidence that hospitality venues contributed to the spread of Covid-19.
It comes as the government prepares to unveil new restrictions for England.
NTIA boss Michael Kill said the hospitality industry had been left with “no other option”.
“These new measures will have a catastrophic impact on late night businesses, and are exacerbated further by an insufficient financial support package presented by the chancellor in an attempt to sustain businesses through this period,” he said.
“This next round of restrictions are hugely disproportionate and unjust, with no scientific rationale or correlation to Public Health England transmission rates, when compared to other key environments.”
