Boris Johnson backed a Dartford MP's call for people to "do their patriotic best for Britain" and head to the pubs when they reopen on July 4.

The Prime Minister confirmed all indoor hospitality will be limited to table service and the Government's guidance will encourage minimal staff and customer contact.

Speaking in the Commons, Conservative MP Gareth Johnson (Dartford) added: "Going to the pub is a great British institution and vital if we want to get our economy back on track.

"Would the Prime Minister therefore join me in calling on people from July 4 to do their patriotic best for Britain and go to the pub?"

Mr Johnson replied: "Yes, I do encourage to take advantage of the freedoms that they are rightly reacquiring, but I must stress that people should act in a responsible way.

"And I know that that is where the public are. I know that is what people want to see."

He added: "Yes I want to see people out in the shops - it is a fantastic thing to see; yes I want to see people taking advantage of hospitality again, a wonderful thing; yes I want to see people enjoying friends and family again but they've got to do it in a responsible way and observing social distancing."

Conservative Sara Britcliffe (Hyndburn) also asked if government would work closely with local authorities so pubs and restaurants may be able to utilise outdoor space.

Mr Johnson joked he may be touring the pubs country-wide himself.

He added: "There's hardly any area of the country that I don't intend to visit in the course of the reopening of the pubs and hostelries of this country.

"I think there's a massive opportunity now for our pubs with all their inventiveness to think of ways of making their businesses Covid-secure, exploiting outdoor spaces, hitherto unloved, un-valued outdoor spaces that may become havens for tables and chairs... and to use their ingenuity to open up in all the ways that they can."