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Plymouth City Centre Company has admitted that lockdown rules for businesses could have been made clearer after one city cafe remained open after November 5.

The organisation, which oversees the city centre’s Business Improvement District (BID), has written to hundreds of businesses to remind them about trading rules during the second lockdown and that food and non-alcoholic drinks must only be provided as a takeaway.

It has sought to clarify the position after being approached by businesses asking for guidance and even admitted that “initial overarching guidance, published in the first week of November, was “perhaps not so clear”.

It comes after the after Plymouth City Council said it breached rules by allowing customers to sit inside and outside its premises. The for the vulnerable and lonely.

Plymouth City Centre Company has now reminded hundreds of members about the exact rules after the Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (England) (No. 4) Regulations 2020 came into force on November 5.

Its email to members said: “We know that some businesses have been in touch with Plymouth City Council's public protection service asking for clarification on matters such as outside seating and what businesses can and can’t do as part of the second lockdown.

“Hospitality premises such as cafes, restaurants, pubs, bars and social clubs that serve food for consumption on their premises including external seating areas must stop this service and provide takeaway only.

“This is set out very clearly in the legislation behind both lockdowns, although is perhaps not so clear in the initial overarching guidance that was published last week.”