Gosfield’s Kings Head pub is to start a “Boris menu” of £1.99 meals to attract customers during Tier 2 regulations - with 180,000 people so far viewing the offer on social media.

The watering hole, near Halstead, has launched the offer to allow people to drink with an affordable but substantial meal under the new coronavirus rules.

Under Tier 2, the government says “hospitality venues can only serve alcohol with substantial meals” - otherwise they have to close.

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The “Boris menu” offers main courses like baked beans on toast or a hotdog and fries - although the venue asks customers to note that they are “‘substantial’ meals but not the most accomplished or biggest of dishes”.

In a Facebook post announcing the menu, the pub said it was aimed at “those that want to save room for another drink or two”.

Matthew Arnold, the pub’s landlord, said: “Our pub is a good mix of diners and drinkers.

“We’re still running our normal menu so the diners are catered for, but as we’re such a hub in the village I needed a way to get people to come in and have a drink.”

The menu is already proving to be a hit online with 180,000 views on social media, according to Mr Arnold.

“I’ve had lots of bookings for the next week when we reopen,” he said.

“Everyone loves the idea and there have been no negative comments so far.”

Elsewhere, bosses are hoping to help pubs in other ways.

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Paul Clement, of Ipswich Central, said the business improvement district was “aggressively” looking for ways to help the hospitality sector in the town continue trading.

These include outdoor seating and food deliveries to licenced venues that don’t serve food themselves.

Nick Attfield, Adnams director of properties, said the brewery would not be offering special menus aimed at drinkers.

However, it has been helping tenants put up outdoor heating by building purgolas and clearing outbuildings – allowing customers to socialise with people outside their household outdoors.