Yes, the Government is banning bars from serving alcohol. They can stay open and serve other types of drinks.
Restaurants are free to stay open and serve drinks with meals.
Of course some restaurants are closing for lack of custom or other reasons. McDonalds will be closing for dining-in after 6pm, though take-away and deliveries will still be available. (This is more serious than might first appear, since McDonalds serves as something of defacto homeless shelter in the wee hours.)
ADD: There's a pattern developing in which a clamour for new restrictions begins, then the restrictions are announced a few days later. The "clamour" of course is actually fabricated as a warning and a way of testing public reaction in advance.
That's all by way of noting that clamour is starting for restrictions on public activity. My best guess is that there will be something in place by the weekend, unless new virus cases drop precipitously.
Last edited by 889; Mar 24, 2020 at 11:44 pm