UK PM Johnson tells cafes, pubs and restaurants to close tonight

LONDON, March 20 (Reuters) - British Prime Minister Boris Johnson told cafes, pubs and restaurants across the country to close on Friday night and to stay shut indefinitely to help slow the spread of the coronavirus outbreak.

"We are telling cafes, bars and restaurants to close tonight as soon as they reasonably can and not to open tomorrow," Johnson told reporters in Downing Street. "Though to be clear, they can continue to provide takeout services.

"Some people may of course be tempted to go out tonight, and I say to those people, 'please don't,'" Johnson said. (Reporting by Costas Pitas and Paul Sandle, writing by Guy Faulconbridge and Michael Holden; editing by Stephen Addison)