Northern Ireland

Morning Star pub serving 'takeaway' alcohol from hatch

Customers at the Morning Star Bar yesterday. Picture by Seamus Loughran
Customers at the Morning Star Bar yesterday. Picture by Seamus Loughran Customers at the Morning Star Bar yesterday. Picture by Seamus Loughran

A well known Belfast city centre bar is serving takeaway alcohol but said it removed street furniture because members of the public were not adhering to social distancing rules.

The Morning Star, which is in Pottingers Entry, removed furniture from around the bar on Monday.

The well known watering hole has been serving customer on a takeaway basis in recent days.

READ MORE: Robin Swann warns those flouting social distancing could 'ruin any hopes of further relaxation of lockdown'Opens in new window ]

Manager James McAlister last night said that the bar has consulted with police and that any alcohol sold is considered off sales.

“You take them away wherever you are going, you don't drink them here,” he said.

He confirmed that no members of the public are allowed into the bar and are instead served at a hatch.

He added that street furniture located outside the bar was removed this week because “people were not adhering to social distancing”.

“There was a stage it was busy and we had to address that.

“We are not the police and we put signage up and are monitoring it as much as we can and there are times I have to tell people we are not serving because there are too many people,” he said.

A bench outside the Morning Star
A bench outside the Morning Star A bench outside the Morning Star

The bar manager said the availability of stock could become an issue.

“It's only a limited stock and its probably only short lived because there's no draught available,” he said.

The Morning Star is the latest in a line of well known bars that have been serving alcohol.

Police issued a caution to Co Down bar Daft Eddy's in the Sketrick Island area of Killinchy after there were reports of people gathering outside the premises on Saturday.

At present pubs are not expected to reopen until August as part of the fifth stage of the north's lockdown recovery plan.