Coronavirus: Carlisle Wetherspoon pub The William Rufus shut

The member of staff who tested positive for Covid-19 had no symptoms, the pub chain said

A Wetherspoon's pub in Carlisle has been temporarily closed after a member of staff tested positive for Covid-19.

The William Rufus, on Botchergate, shut early on Friday night. Twenty-four staff are now self-isolating.

The pub is one of a number in the city where either staff or customers have tested positive for coronavirus in the past few weeks.

The chain said it based its decision to close on the availability of staff and its ability to operate safely.

Spokesman Eddie Gershon said customer test and trace details had not yet been requested by the authorities but were "available when needed".

"Wetherspoon will reopen the pub as and when it can get the number of staff needed to do so safely," he said.

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The member of staff who tested positive was not displaying symptoms but requested a test kit because they were concerned about a local outbreak, the company said.

The test was carried out on Monday and the result came back on Thursday.

Wetherspoon said the local authority had not advised it to close the pub.