SOUTHAMPTON bars and clubs have been forced to close due to positive covid cases and staff shortages.

Popular city venues have shut their doors temporarily due to coronavirus.

Positive cases have meant staff have had to self-isolate.

Both Revolucion de Cuba in Above Bar Street and The Edge Nightclub, Compton Walk announced their decision to close.

Posting on social media a statement from The Edge said: "It is with regret that we have made the difficult decision to close for a few days, starting from today, Sunday, July 25.

"Our team have been completing COVID tests before every shift, and due to a few positive results, we have decided to close until PCR tests can be completed for the team.

"In the meantime, we will be ensuring the venue continues to receive deep cleaning ready for your return, as we have been doing daily since COVID first emerged.

"We will provide updates on our social media as soon as we're confident that normal service can be resumed. We apologise for any inconvenience, but our priority is the safety of our team and customers.

"With restrictions relaxed, we highly recommend customers test regularly before attending any venue to help prevent the spread of the virus, and help to keep small businesses open. Tests are free, so grab yours from www.gov.uk/order-coronavirus-rapid-lateral-flow-tests."

Revolucion de Cuba announced: "We will reopen on TUES 27TH JULY to serve you your favourite rums, tapas and tropical vibes whilst safe in the knowledge that our team is covid free and of course, that our premise is covid secure.

"If you have a booking that is impacted by this, please hold tight. We'll be in touch shortly.

"In the meantime, you can still visit our extended familia:đź“Ť Revolution Southampton."

Senior ministers are set to discuss extending the rollout of daily testing sites for coronavirus to ease the concerns of industry and frontline services by allowing further exemptions from isolation for critical workers.

The Covid operations sub-committee of Cabinet will meet on Monday to discuss whether to widen the number of jobs eligible for the testing regime, or whether to boost the numbers for existing sectors in order to tackle the “pingdemic”.

Their decisions will depend on the demand registered with Whitehall departments and the ministers’ determination of what roles are currently critical, with refuse collectors expected to receive assistance, while the hospitality industry is not.