British pubs could be forced to send people home after two or three pints once they re-open after the lockdown, according to a government adviser.

Pubs and bars in the UK have been closed for more than five weeks now since Prime Minister Boris Johnson ordered the closure of all non-essential places on March 23.

And while ensuring the safety of the public remains paramount, economist Eyal Winter - who has been speaking to the Government about how to ease the lockdown - recognises the importance of re-opening places like pubs.

Speaking to The Guardian, he said: “People are starving for pubs. They are an important part of British culture.

“One of the most important things is to have a programme, to say, ‘in two weeks we will do such and such’.

“You need to make the rules crystal clear, and to explain to the public the rationale behind each one of them.”

One measure Winter believes could be introduced when the lockdown is eased is the idea that landlords tell customers they have to leave after two or three drinks to control the number of people in their premises.

It has also been suggested cinemas and theatres could sell fewer tickets in a bid to maintain social distancing.

And when using transport services such as planes, a ‘middle seat' policy could be implemented to control the possible spread of the virus.

The UK has now had 161,145 confirmed cases of coronavirus in the country, with 21,678 fatalities.