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Coronavirus (Covid-19) – Latest Information and Advice

On 26th November the government announced regional tier system which we will enter on 2nd December following the National Lockdown. The government announced that Kent will be at Tier 3: Very High Alert. 

In all tiers, the following businesses can open on 2nd December: essential and non-essential retail (including indoor and outdoor markets and car boot sales) certain leisure facilities, personal care and close contact services such as hairdressers, beauty salons, and tattoo and places of worship. 

The restrictions in tier 3 include: 

  • you must not meet socially indoors or in most outdoor places with anybody you do not live with, or who is not in your support bubble. This includes in any private garden or at most outdoor venues
  • you must not socialise in a group of more than 6 in some other outdoor public spaces, including parks, beaches, countryside accessible to the public, a public garden, grounds of a heritage site or castle, or a sports facility – this is called the ‘rule of 6’
  • hospitality settings, such as bars (including shisha venues), pubs, cafes and restaurants are closed – you are permitted to continue sales by takeaway, click-and-collect, drive-through or delivery services.
  • accommodation such as hotels, B&Bs, campsites, and guest houses must close. There are several exemptions, such as for those who use these venues as their main residence, and those requiring the venues where it is reasonably necessary for work or education and training
  • indoor entertainment and tourist venues must close. This includes:
    • indoor play centres and areas, including trampolining parks and soft play
    • casinos
    • bingo halls
    • bowling alleys
    • skating rinks
    • amusement arcades and adult gaming centres
    • laser quests and escape rooms
    • cinemas, theatres, and concert halls
    • snooker halls
    • indoor attractions at mostly outdoor entertainment venues must also close (indoor shops, through-ways and public toilets at such attractions can remain open). This includes indoor attractions within:
      • zoos, safari parks, and wildlife reserves
      • aquariums, visitor attractions at farms, and other animal attractions
      • model villages
      • museums, galleries and sculpture parks
      • botanical gardens, biomes or greenhouses
      • theme parks, circuses, fairgrounds and funfairs
      • visitor attractions at film studios, heritage sites such as castles and stately homes
      • landmarks including observation decks and viewing platforms
      • leisure and sports facilities may continue to stay open, but group exercise classes (including fitness and dance) should not go ahead. Saunas and steam rooms should close
      • there should be no public attendance at spectator sport or indoor performances and large business events should not be taking place. Elite sport events may continue to take place without spectators
      • large outdoor events (performances and shows) should not take place, with the exception of drive-in events
      • weddings and funerals can go ahead with restrictions on the number of attendees – 15 people can attend wedding ceremonies, wedding receptions are not allowed, 30 people can attend funeral ceremonies, 15 people can attend linked commemorative events
      • organised outdoor sport, and physical activity and exercise classes can continue, however higher-risk contact activity should not take place
      • organised indoor sport, physical activity and exercise classes cannot take place indoors. There are exceptions for indoor disability sport, sport for educational purposes and supervised sport and physical activity for under-18s

It is very important that business read the government website to identify how their business can operate where possible. Further information on the tier system can be found at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/local-restriction-tiers-what-you-need-to-know. 

Businesses and venues that are able to open are expected to follow COVID-19 secure guidelines to protect customers, visitors and workers. The guidance document can be found at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/working-safely-during-coronavirus-covid-19 

Full list of local restriction tiers by area can be found at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/full-list-of-local-restriction-tiers-by-area