ALCOHOL sales from off licences in lockdown areas such as Newport and Blaenau Gwent should be stopped from 6pm, says Plaid Cymru leader Adam Price.

Mr Price believes the new restrictions announced last night for pubs and off licences do not go far enough.

He also says the Welsh Government should consider closing pubs indoors, or follow the example of Ireland by temporarily closing pubs that do not serve food.

Under the new coronavirus measures, announced by First Minister Mark Drakeford last night, hospitality businesses in Wales must shut at 10pm every night, starting tomorrow.

Sales of alcohol at off-licences and supermarkets after 10pm will also be stopped, and pubs will be required to provide table service only.

But Mr Price said his tougher proposals for alcohol sale restrictions should be backed-up by “sector-specific financial support to affected businesses” and added that the next few weeks would be “crucial” in avoiding a second lockdown.

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He also called for an enforceable ban on non-essential travel from lockdown areas in the rest of the UK into Wales to “keep communities safe”.

“This is a square peg in a round hole approach from the First Minister,” he added.

“It takes little account of local circumstances and measures announced are arguably too strict for certain parts of the country and too lenient in others.

"The next few weeks are going to be crucial in avoiding a second lockdown.

“The more comprehensive and earlier restrictions introduced the shorter the period they are likely to be necessary - as is consistent with TAC advice published today.

“In areas of increased restrictions, we should go further than simply closing pubs at 10pm. In those areas, we should also restrict the sales of alcohol from off licences at 6pm and either close pubs indoors completely or close pubs that don’t serve food like they’ve done in Ireland.

“Crucially, these steps must be backed-up by sector-specific financial support to affected businesses.

“Nationwide, there should be an enforceable ban on non-essential travel from lockdown areas in the rest of the UK into Wales to keep communities where there is decreased transmission safe.

"The First Minister should also consider having Covid-free areas and areas of low community transmission which would be exempt from any nationwide changes.

“This would serve two purposes: it would incentivise continued adherence to the rules in areas of low transmission and increase adherence to the rules in areas of higher transmission”.