Wetherspoons' boss Tim Martin says pubs closure its costing millions

Tim Martin, chairman of Wetherspoons - which operates several pubs in Somerset - says the industry needs to start serving pints again to safeguard jobs.

His call comes ahead Boris Johnson planning to announce his roadmap for scrapping some of the current restrictions.

Pubs, bars and restaurants are unable to currently admit customers, although they can provide takeaway food and drink.

Mr Martin believes pubs offer "Covid-secure environments", with plastic screens, table-service only and one-way systems.

He added: "Surely it is possible for the hospitality industry to reopen at the same time as non-essential shops, now that a vaccine exists, on the basis of the social distancing and hygiene regulations."

Mr Martin also said his company pays around £10 in tax for every £1 of profit it makes, so continuing to lockdown the hospitality sector would be disastrous for country's economy.

His intervention comes after Patrick Dardis, chief executive of the Young's pub chain, Patrick Dardis, slammed the Prime Minister's "lack of respect" for the sector.

Mr Dardis said: "Every pub company in the land is burning through millions and millions of pounds every month we are closed and most cannot afford to keep going for much longer.

"On what basis are they making these rules? It is just laughable – as was the 10pm curfew, as was the nonsense about what a 'substantial meal' was.

"When pubs opened last summer more than £500million was spent (making them Covid-safe).

"But there is absolutely no evidence whatsoever to suggest that the infection rate grew as a consequence of pubs being open."

Mr Johnson has said he is hopeful that schools can re-open on March 8 following the rollout of the Covid jab, which has seen more than 15 million people vaccinated.

But he said that would be followed by non-essential shops re-opening ahead of pubs and restaurants.

Scientists have warned against scrapping the coroanvirus restrictions too rapidly.