Pub bosses in Kent warn forcing punters to show a vaccine passport on entry would discriminate against those yet to have the jab or not able to.

They state that with almost half of the county's population not yet inoculated, any early roll-out of such a scheme would mean being forced to unfairly turn many customers away.

Their comments are in response to a suggestion by Boris Johnson that people may have to provide proof of vaccination or a negative Covid test result to enter a pub.

Jonathan Neame, chief executive of Faversham-based brewer Shepherd Neame, which has 320 pubs in the south east, says it would be wrong on many levels.

"It's one of those things that may seem attractive on the surface but when you look at it in more detail it touches on a whole lot of things, such as civil liberties and data protection issues," he said.

"It would be very problematic to bring it in now as that would mean excluding anyone under 50 or pregnant, for example, which would mean families.

"Also, I think all the efforts over the last year from the country are to try to return to a life of freedom.

"In my view, a pub is about being inclusive, diverse, and being in a relaxed environment where everyone can engage socially.

"To add such a restriction would change that sense of freedom and community of a pub."

Mr Neame says if a vaccine passport restriction is brought in, it would need to be universal, not just one type of venue.

"I don't know why it is only pubs being talked about in this context," he said.

"The only thing is because of dwell time in a pub, but the average time is actually 20 minutes, when people pop in for a pint. People spend longer in supermarkets.

'A passport vaccine, it would knock us yet again' - Philip Thorley

"The government is to be congratulated on the vaccine programme - but that is the goal, deliver that first, rather than introducing more restrictions."

The Prime Minister, speaking to the Commons Liaison Committee on Wednesday, said introducing a vaccine passport scheme once all adults have been offered a jab could help keep coronavirus rates down.

He added that it could also fall to individual publicans to decide but warned discussion of such a concept was "premature".

He said there would be an update on the idea in April, with a review in June.

Pubs are due to open their gardens and outdoor areas on April 12 and indoors from May 17 as part of the Prime Minister's roadmap out of lockdown.

Philip Thorley, director of Thorley Taverns, which runs 19 pubs in Thanet, says with a vaccine passport the devil would be in the detail.

"I think this is one of those attention-grabbing headlines which at the moment doesn't hold any water," he said.

"However, we have already been the most heavily regulated industries and for there to be further measures seems onerous to say the very least.

"We've been the whipping boys in all of this and this is an entirely ill-thought-out suggestion which has been led by the media rather than the Government."

Mr Thorley, who will be reopening 15 pubs outdoors next month, praised the Government for vaccinating half the adult population so far, but pointed out that a vaccine passport now would prevent the other half from entering a licensed premises.

"Some people are also unable to have it because of medical reasons or being pregnant," he added.

"We've worked harder than any other industry to make everything safe and we've had nothing but plaudits on how well it's been done.

"But go to the supermarket and it's like Covid doesn't exist. There is scant social distancing, no track and trace, and signage on the floor showing one-way, which everyone ignores.

"When you look at pubs there is track and trace, wearing masks while moving around, sanitising the tables every hour - talking about a passport vaccine, it would knock us yet again, which is not making it a level playing field."

He added that he and his staff are excited about welcoming back their customers.

"We're like five-year-old's waiting for Christmas," he said.

"We wish we could open sooner."

Read more: All the latest news from Kent

Read more: All the latest news from Thanet