Wales moves to alert level 2 – pubs cafes and restaurants can have people indoors for the first time in 5 months
Indoor hospitality and leisure venues are set to open their doors their doors to the public today for the first time in almost five months.
Last week First Minister Mark Drakeford confirmed that Wales will now move into alert level two due to the vaccination rate and the current low number of coronavirus cases.
As part of this move down a level indoor hospitality can re-open – six people from up to six households (not including children under 11) can book and all holiday accommodation can re-open fully.
Entertainment venues, including cinemas, bingo halls, bowling alleys, indoor-play centres and areas, casinos, amusement arcades, and theatres can re-open. Cinemas, theatres concert halls and sports grounds can sell food and drink as long as it is consumed in a seated area for watching the performance.
Indoor visitor attractions, including museums and galleries can re-open and up to 30 people can take part in organised indoor activities and up to 50 people in organised outdoor activities. This includes wedding receptions and wakes.
International travel can also resume, with a traffic light system, aligned with England and Scotland, will be introduced.
However speaking at Friday’s press conference, the first minister urged people to remain cautious with concern over the growing number of cases linked to the “Indian” variant of coronavirus in parts of England.
Members of the public visiting pubs, cafes and restaurants are being reminded to follow the coronavirus measures that are in place.
As with the reopening of the sector last year, customers are expected to provide contact details so you can be contacted by Test, Trace and Protect if there are any positive cases at an establishment you have visited.
Under the Welsh Government guidelines there is a limit on the numbers who can meet together. This is up to to six people can meet together indoors, the same as outdoors and business owners will be carefully managing this to ensure social distancing between tables.
Time restrictions over how long you can stay at certain establishment could be in place, with some offering a maximum stay for a table.
If you’re using public transport you’ll need to be socially distanced and will need to wear a face mask. This includes taxis so the public are reminded to carry one with you at all times.
Only seated customers will be served and there will be table service to avoid any queueing at bars.
The changes to the coronavirus restrictions, which will come into force from today, Monday 17 May include:
- Indoor hospitality can re-open – six people from up to six households (not including children under 11) can book;
- All holiday accommodation can re-open fully;
- Entertainment venues, including cinemas, bingo halls, bowling alleys, indoor-play centres and areas, casinos, amusement arcades, and theatres can re-open. Cinemas, theatres concert halls and sports grounds can sell food and drink as long as it is consumed in a seated area for watching the performance;
- Indoor visitor attractions, including museums and galleries can re-open;
- Up to 30 people can take part in organised indoor activities and up to 50 people in organised outdoor activities. This includes wedding receptions and wakes.
International travel will resume from today, Monday 17 May. A traffic light system, aligned with England and Scotland, will be introduced.
Countries will be classified as green, amber and red.
This means people living in Wales will be able to travel to a small number of foreign destinations without the need to quarantine on their return.
Mandatory quarantine for countries not on the green list remains in place.
From Monday 24 May, a paper-based vaccination status will be available for people in Wales who have had two doses of vaccination and need to urgently travel to a country that requires covid vaccination proof.
However, the Welsh Government continues to advise people to only travel abroad for essential purposes.
If public health conditions remain positive, the next three-week review will consider:
- Further changes to meeting people in private homes;
- Increasing the number of people who can meet outdoors and the number of people who can attend organised activities and events, including wedding receptions, to 50 indoors and 100 outdoors;
- Permitting larger-scale events to take place indoors and outdoors.
[Photo: Welsh Gov’t]
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