Despite drinkers in East Lancashire shelling out more money in the pub since May 17, new figures suggest limits on social contact have meant spending is still below pre-pandemic levels.

Banking firm Revolut analysed the data of its 4,000 customers in Blackburn with Darwen and 4,000 customers in Burnley between May 17 – when indoor hospitality resumed – and June 13.

Blackburn with Darwen punters spent 61 per cent more in pubs during this period than they did compared to the previous month – when only outdoor hospitality was allowed.

But spending was still 54 per cent below the level recorded in February 2020, before the pandemic struck.

Over in Burnley, pub-goers spent more than twice as much in pubs than they did compared to the previous month, although spending was still 59 per cent below the level recorded in February last year.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson pushed back the end of England’s coronavirus restrictions to July 19 due to concerns over the rapidly spreading Delta variant first identified in India.

Pubs across the country had been preparing to welcome customers back with no limits on social contact or group sizes from Monday (June 21).

And now, hospitality and pub industry leaders have written to Mr Johnson demanding support for their sector following the delay, as findings show that across Great Britain, spending in the month since pubs reopened their doors for indoor service was 58 per cent lower than before the pandemic.

Sector leaders including the British Beer and Pub Association, UK Hospitality and the Campaign for Real Ale say they are “bitterly disappointed” by the delay, which they estimate will cost pubs £400million alone.

A joint spokesman said: “Our sector is facing one of its toughest periods in its history and this latest delay is yet another setback.

“Many pubs cannot break even under current restrictions and around 2,300 still remain closed

“It is now absolutely critical that the Government provides our sector with further support – else the recovery of our pubs will be over before they’ve even been given a chance.”

They have also called on the Prime Minister to prioritise the additional £1.5billion business rates support package announced back in March, to ensure eligible businesses such as brewers can apply as soon as possible.

Revolut figures also show that spending in restaurants across Britain was still 51 per cent below normal in the four weeks to June 13.

In Blackburn with Darwen, it was 39 percent below the pre-pandemic baseline, while in Burnley that figure was 52 per cent.

Experts feared going ahead with step four could lead to hospital admissions on the scale of the first wave of Covid-19, heaping unsustainable pressure on the health service.

Limits on numbers for pubs and restaurants will therefore remain in place and nightclubs will stay shuttered.

Mr Johnson left open the option of ending restrictions on July 5 if the data proves drastically better than expected, but conceded “let’s be realistic, probably more likely four weeks”.

He added: “It’s unmistakably clear that vaccines are working, and the sheer scale of the vaccine roll-out has made our position incomparably better than in previous waves.

“But now is the time to ease off the accelerator because by being cautious now we have the chance in the next four weeks to save many thousands of lives by vaccinating millions more people.”

Separate figures from the Office for National Statistics also show that UK pubs had been under increasing pressure before the pandemic even began.

The number of pubs fell to 38,900 in March last year – down slightly from 2019, and significantly fewer than the 52,500 in 2001.

In Blackburn with Darwen, this figure fell from 150 in 2001 to 85 in 2020, while in Burnley the number of pubs fell from 85 in 2001 to 45 in 2020.