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Speaking to LBC radio, the SAGE member claimed there is “no question” more lives will be lost to coronavirus as hospitality businesses reopen in England today. The former chief scientific adviser criticised Boris Johnson’s decision to ease lockdown measures and allow Britons to return to normality on so-called super Saturday. Sir David said he believes herd immunity might still be at the heart of the Government’s coronavirus strategy. 

He said: “Herd immunity may well still be the policy and they’re just not telling us.”

Asked whether he believes the reopening of pubs and restaurants will cost lives, he replied: “No question”.

He added: “We are running a terrible risk and it’s all down to a degree of impatience in my view.

“We should have stayed in lockdown for a few more weeks and we would have got ourselves in a much better position.

“This is a very risky situation.”

He argued “we should never begin undoing a lockdown without the ability to find every new case, isolate that person and isolate their contacts, that’s the only way to get rid of the virus”.

The warning comes as the first pints have been poured at pubs in England which can now reopen following months of closure as lockdown restrictions are lifted.

Couples can get married and hairdressers have been allowed to welcome customers, alongside restaurants, bars and cinemas on so-called Super Saturday, which has seen the biggest relaxation of rules yet.

Chancellor Rishi Sunak has also welcomed the reopening of businesses.

On a visit to The Bell & Crown in Chiswick, west London, he said: “The hospitality sector is a vital part of our economy and crucial to people’s livelihoods – Britain’s pubs and bars alone employ almost half a million people – which is why it’s such good news that so many people are able to return to work this weekend, helping us all to enjoy summer safely.”

The pub is run by brewers Fullers, who only plan on opening 27 of their 215 own-managed venues on Saturday.

Research suggests they are just some of many who will be keeping the shutters down for now as the industry has called for more support from the Government.

Statistics from the Night-Time Industries Association (NTIA) have revealed 31% of bars, pubs and restaurants will stay closed on Saturday.

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NTIA boss Michael Kill said: “Our members feel stuck in a bizarre tug of war between Government, licensing and planning regulators and the police.

“But no-one knows which rope to pull and in which direction, leaving businesses stranded in the middle with no way to move forward and out of this mess.”

Meanwhile, pubs in Wales and Scotland must remain closed until later this month as the devolved nations are lifting their own lockdown rules more slowly, but hotels, bars, restaurants and cafes in Northern Ireland reopened on Friday.

Ministers have urged the public not to get carried away with the new freedoms.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock told the Daily Mail that people were entitled to enjoy themselves at pubs but added: “You could end up behind bars if you break the law.”

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