PUB owners in Barrow are largely waiting on further government advice before shutting their doors.

Many have remained open despite official advice to minimise social contact.

Some tavern bosses, such as Sharon Hubbold from Last Orders, have reported "no impact at all on their trade" since the government advised the public to avoid all 'non-essential contact' and to practice ‘social distancing’.

“Even elderly punters are still turning out for a pint,” Ms Hubbold said.

“We’ll remain open until the government tells us otherwise and forces us to close.”

However, pub owners like Melissa McAteer, landlady at the Blue Lamp, gave a different account of the past few days.

She said: “We’ve been sat watching the news for updates almost constantly this week.”

“Our takings have halved this week, since Boris Johnson’s announcement.

“We are still getting customers, since for some people, community pubs like ours - and there aren’t many left in Barrow - are a social lifeline.”

Ms McAteer, like many publicans across the country, has criticised the lack of government support for small businesses in the face of the economic fallout from the coronavirus crisis.

“If the government told us to close, we could claim on our business disruption insurance.

"But Covid, being a new disease, isn’t on the list for insurers.

“So small independent pubs have been left with little choice but to remain open until we get clarity from the government.

“Chains like Wetherspoons can afford to take the hit and close their pubs for a number of weeks.

“Still, though, our capacity has been significantly reduced this week for our staff’s safety and wellbeing.

David Young, owner of the Ship Inn, said his pub has also been operating at reduced capacity since Monday.

He explained: “It’s been a bit quiet during the day this week, but the regulars are keeping us going in the evenings.

“The weekend will be the real litmus test for us.”

"Chains like Wetherspoons can afford to take the hit and close their pubs for a number of weeks.

"Still, though, our capacity has been significantly reduced this week for our staff's safety and wellbeing."

David Young, owner of the Ship Inn, said his pub has also been operating at reduced capacity since Monday.

"It's been a bit quiet during the day this week but the regulars are keeping us going in the evenings," he said.

"The weekend will be the real litmus test for us."