Sheffield pub bans under-25s with ‘immediate effect’ due to rising Covid-19 infection rate

The Angel Inn announced the measure after government experts warned that confirmed cases of Covid-19 in the UK were rising particularly rapidly among 17 to 29-year-olds.

Writing on the pub’s Facebook page on Wednesday, September 9, David Sayle said: “Due to Covid-19 precautions, The Angel Inn will not be allowing any under 25s or any children, with immediate effect.”

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Some customers supported the new policy but others took exception, calling it discriminatory.

Paula Davison wrote ‘I don’t blame you David. Keep safe and look after you and your staff’, while June Mclean commented that you ‘can’t be too careful’.

But Lorraine Walton wrote: “This is age discrimination at its best. Guess your pub will be closing for good very soon with this kind of prejudice.”

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Jean Hepplestone said: “If they are sticking to the guidelines and social distancing it shouldn't matter if you are 18 or 80...

“At the end of the day there are plenty of under 25s working for the NHS, and (doing other) jobs to keep the country running. At least let them go out for a drink.”

Katy Louise Payne commented: “Why tar everyone with the same brush? Not all under-25s go against the rules. My younger sister is 24 and she has stuck to the rules and has been working through this pandemic and still is.”

Tanya Crump wrote: “Don’t blame youngsters. This is irresponsible drinkers and members of the public of all ages. I don’t think it's fair to blame one specific group.”

And Alan Gadsby said: “Could be bad for business in the long term. People will get the hump and refuse to go when Covid is done.”

The UK’s coronavirus infection rate has risen steeply in recent days, with another 2,659 daily confirmed cases being announced on Wednesday, leading to warnings that people had ‘relaxed too much’.

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England’s chief medical officer, Professor Chris Whitty, this week said cases were rising especially quickly among those aged 17 to 29.

“If we stop social distancing, Covid comes back. We all need to protect others,” he added.