Hereford restaurant upbeat despite uncertainty over Covid rules

Currently, England is the only one of the UK's four nations not to announce new measures from Boxing Day.

In Wales, a raft of new restrictions includes the rule of six, social distancing, compulsory face coverings and table service only for hospitality businesses in the wake of concerns over the Omicron variant.

Government ministers have not ruled out new measures after Christmas, but said there would be no changes before.

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In Hereford, The Rule Of Tum, which runs The Bookshop and The Burger Shop in Aubrey Street, said it has tried to remain positive.

"It has been an unexpectedly hard end to the year for our restaurants after losing over 500 covers due to cancelations," a spokesperson for the company, run by Dorian and Edwin Kirk, said.

"However we have seen an increase in smaller tables and have remained positive throughout the uncertainty.

"We already have post-Christmas plans in place and are ready for any eventuality that we might face.

"Our outside seating area The Yard is covered and heated and so if it’s outside dining only then we have the space. If it’s a full lockdown then we will be able to run takeaway and collection services.

"A huge thank you to our customers and our team for seeing us through and we’re looking forward to a much more positive 2022."

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Health Secretary Sajid Javid has said there will be no further announcements on Covid restrictions in England before Christmas.

“We are not planning any further announcements this week,” he told broadcasters.

“Despite the caution that we are all taking, people should enjoy their Christmases with their families and their friends – of course, remain cautious.

“We will keep the situation under review. We are learning more all the time as we have done from this new data.

“We will keep analysing that data and if we need to do anything more we will, but nothing more is going to happen before Christmas.”