Stroud MP Siobhan Baillie has called on the government to let pubs serve takeaway alcohol, as the Covid pandemic leaves them struggling to make ends meet.

Supermarkets and off-licences can sell as much alcohol as they like under present coronavirus restrictions, even though they have been hit less hard by the pandemic.

Many pubs have closed since the third national lockdown began on January 5, which barred customers from sitting in hospitality venues and only allowed food and non-alcohol drinks to be delivered or sold through takeaway services.

“I am hoping that you will take an opportunity to create a quick win for our pubs and stop the ban on hospitality businesses selling alcohol during lockdown as a matter of urgency,” said Ms Baillie in a letter to the business secretary Kwasi Kwarteng, who was appointed last Friday, 8 January.

“I do not believe it was the government’s intention to create an unfair set of rules or fail to provide a level playing field in this area. Click and collect was permitted in the November lockdown and pubs have jumped through extensive and expensive hoops to be Covid safe to customers.

“These are difficult times, but we must do everything we can to ensure our pubs survive. I believe a rule change is part of that effort.”

Almost 300,000 people have lost their jobs in hospitality during the pandemic, accounting for over a third of all job losses between February and November, according to the Office for National Statistics.