This was the scene outside a pub in Scotland last night which was reportedly packed with drinkers despite warnings to close during the coronavirus crisis.

Video posted to Twitter appeared to show a group of men fighting outside the Cheers pub in Greenock, Inverclyde, with riot police officers called to break up the disturbance.

The government ordered pubs to close on Friday evening in a desperate bid to force social distancing measures and slow the spread of the killer virus.

Despite the stark warnings, some venues across the country reportedly stayed open, with police saying they have no current powers to enforce bans.

Twitter users hit out at the Greenock pub for allegedly staying open 24 hours later despite the ban, with one saying it was a ‘total embarrassment’.

One said: ‘So ashamed, embarrassed and angry at this. As a community, we’re doing so much to help each other. This isn’t a reflection of the town. ‘

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Another wrote: ‘Really disgusted by the videos at Cheers Bar in Greenock.

‘So many people putting their lives on the line and then they are faced with this. The stupidity of some people never ceases to amaze me.’

It was claimed on Twitter a wedding party was being staged at the venue.

DCC Malcolm Graham told the Daily Record: ‘We are fully behind the request from the UK and Scottish Governments for entertainment venues to close, and the Chief Constable has already thanked the vast majority of people in Scotland for complying with the instruction.’

The government hopes new laws giving authorities powers to detain people who refuse to self-isolate will come into power next week.

DCC Graham said: ‘We are aware of the proposed legislation in relation to coronavirus and are carefully considering the implications in this very fast moving situation.’

Boris Johnson warned there would be ‘strict enforcement’ on public venues such as pubs, bars, restaurants and cafes which remain open.

The Prime Minister said: ‘I do accept that what we’re doing is extraordinary – we’re taking away the ancient inalienable right of freeborn people of the United Kingdom to go to the pub.

‘And I can understand how people feel about that. But I say to people who do go against the advice that we’re getting, the very clear advice that we’re getting from our medical and scientific experts, you know you’re not only putting your own life, the lives of your family, at risk – you’re endangering the community.’

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