Greene King to close dozens of pubs and cut 800 jobs as curfew cripples industry

In total, 79 sites will close, 25 of which will close permanently

Pub chain Greene King, one of the largest in Britain, is set to close dozens of sites and cut 800 jobs as the 10pm curfew implemented by the government to curb a rise in coronavirus cases continues to cripple the hospitality industry. According to Sky News, the company is in the process of consulting 800 of its staff regarding redundancy, though it will seek to redistribute as many staff as possible to other areas of the business. Out of 79 venues closing, it is believed that 25 will not reopen. There has been enormous opposition from the hospitality industry over the government's 10pm curfew, which many claim does little to actually help stop the spread of the virus, while damaging the economy at the same time. On one of the first nights after its implementation, photos of bustling streets and almost rush hour-like public transport users flooded social media and led to accusations that the curfew had not been properly thought through. It was revealed this morning that the government had delayed a vote in the House of Commons regarding the curfew, after it emerged that several Tory backbench MPs were planning on opposing it. The vote is expected to take place at a later date.