PUBS in England must close at 10pm from tomorrow – a situation which is "completely foreign" to landlords.

Bars, restaurants and other hospitality venues will also have to follow this rule, and will be restricted by law to table service only.

This was announced by Boris Johnson and is expected to be in place for around six months.

Clive Mansell, landlord of the Fulflood Arms in Winchester, said that staff do not want to "be like policemen or teachers".

He told the Chronicle: "Its not just the new rules but the situation we have been subjected to for the last six months.

"Licensees have spent years fostering trade by encouraging atmosphere and intimacy. This situation is completely foreign to them.

"They don't want to be like policeman or teachers and are tired of saying no when current guidelines are not followed. Everybody please, please, please be sympathetic to other customers and to us as we are trying our very best and do the very simple things to keep everyone safe and happy."

Mr Mansell has been a licensee in and around the city for the last 33 years.

He added: "I consider many local publicans to be my friends. They have been fighting for survival and working incredibly hard to adapt to the guidelines and keep customers safe.

"They are not only trying to scrape a living but with a smile on their faces in an amazingly difficult situation.

"They have proved that they are the masters of adapting to delivering ,collecting, closing and opening ,reducing hours, distancing and other changes caused by Covid rules often at minimal notice and significant personal cost.

"English pubs are unique and can still offer a positive community experience for everyone within the rules but only if everyone young and old sticks to them. They can be safe places which offer a release from the worries of the situation we are all in but only if those who come to our pubs show responsibility themselves."