UK PM announces lockdown measures; tells pubs, cafes, restaurants to close

Johnson's finance minister Rishi Sunak said the government was stepping in to pay businesses hit by the coronavirus outbreak not to lay off workers

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson told cafes, pubs and restaurants across the country to close on Friday night and to stay shut indefinitely to help slow the spread of the coronavirus outbreak.

"We are telling cafes, bars and restaurants to close tonight as soon as they reasonably can and not to open tomorrow," Johnson told reporters in Downing Street. 
 

"Though to be clear, they can continue to provide takeout services. Some people may of course be tempted to go out tonight, and I say to those people, 'please don't,'" Johnson said.