Pubs and restaurants will be automatically allowed to serve takeaway food and drink until 2022

The general regulations, which permit all companies operation of the service, are extended by the secretary of the Communities, Robert Jenrick, in order to give long-term security to the hospitality industry.

Pubs, bars and restaurants in Lancashire and elsewhere in England were forced to close on Thursday as part of a new four-week nationwide curfew.

Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick has backed the move to allow the restaurants to offer a food and drink fast food service by March 2022.

While the automatic takeaways granted during the spring freeze were to continue for a further year, Mr Jenrick said his department would determine whether this uniform approach should become the norm.

This means that there is no requirement for companies to go through a planning application procedure to give away takeaway food and the derogation will be extended until 23 March 2022.

At the announcement of the extension Jenrick should say: "We've taken decisive action since the beginning of the pandemic to support our pubs, restaurants, cafes and markets.

Kate Nicholls, CEO of UKHospitality, said: "The ability to provide takeaway services was a valuable lifeline for many hospitality venues, not just during the lockdown but in the days of reduced and restricted trade, too.