Al fresco dining ‘will not save restaurants’

Moves to allow widespread al fresco dining at pubs and restaurants will have a “negligible” financial impact and are not enough to save the beleaguered industry, operators have warned. Companies could be free to fill public squares and pedestrianised streets with tables under proposals drawn up by ministers. But bosses said that while the move would help raise the profile of the industry and encourage customers to visit, some sites would struggle to open up outdoors due to space cons