As you will be aware, until Wednesday 2 December, the UK government is taking the following action:
- Requiring people to stay at home, except for specific purposes.
- Preventing gathering with people you do not live with, except for specific purposes
- Closing certain businesses and venues
The new national restrictions now replace the local restrictions in area across England. At the end of the period, the UK government has said that it will look to return to a regional approach, based on the latest data. Take a look back at the BCC response to the announcement and share with your members.
Guidance for businesses and venues
To reduce social contact, the UK government has ordered certain businesses and venues to close. These include:
- all non-essential retail, including, but not limited to clothing and electronics stores, vehicle showrooms, travel agents, betting shops, auction houses, tailors, car washes, tobacco and vape shops;
- indoor and outdoor leisure facilities such as bowling alleys, leisure centres and gyms, sports facilities including swimming pools, golf courses and driving ranges, dance studios, stables and riding centres, soft play facilities, climbing walls and climbing centres, archery and shooting ranges, water and theme parks;
- entertainment venues such as theatres, concert halls, cinemas, museums and galleries, casinos, adult gaming centres and arcades, bingo halls, bowling alleys, concert halls, zoos and other animal attractions, botanical gardens;
- personal care facilities such as hair, beauty and nail salons, tattoo parlours, spas, massage parlours, body and skin piercing services, non-medical acupuncture, and tanning salons
Food shops, supermarkets, garden centres and certain other retailers providing essential goods and services can remain open. Essential retail should follow COVID-secure guidelines to protect customers, visitors and workers. A full list of the business closures will be published shortly and set out in law.
See further details on our Coronavirus Hub for guidance on going to work, childcare and travel. Please share this information with your members.