Coronavirus: Drink-only pubs set to reopen next week
Drink-only pubs in Northern Ireland are set to be allowed to open from Wednesday 23
September. But local restrictions are to be imposed on people living in the postcode BT60,
which covers parts of County Armagh, from Friday.
They will not be allowed to visit other people inside their homes or have visitors in - with
a few exceptions. The health minister said restrictions take effect from 17:00 BST on Friday.
Robin Swann announced the plan after Thursday's executive meeting.
He said the BT60 postcode was "significantly above" the threshold for imposing localised
restrictions. BT60 covers parts of County Armagh, which includes part of Armagh City,
the towns of Keady and Markethill, stretching from the Middletown and Tynan on
the Monaghan and Tyrone border to Mount Norris and Whitecross, near Newry.
As well as the restrictions on indoor visits, no more than six people from two households
will be allowed to gather in a private garden. The restrictions already apply to the greater
Belfast area, Ballymena, BT29, BT28 and BT43
Drink-only pubs
The news comes after the executive made the decision that drink-only pubs can reopen
from Wednesday. The hospitality sector had been given an indicative reopening date
of Monday 21 September.
But the date has been moved back by two days to allow regulations around enforcement
of the industry to be drawn up. The reopening date had already been pushed back twice
by executive ministers due to concerns about the virus.
About 600 pubs in Northern Ireland that do not serve food were awaiting the green light
to open. At present, drink-only pubs can only serve customers outdoors. Last week,
representatives from the sector met executive ministers to call for regulations to be put
in place.
Local restrictions confusion
In a written statement to the assembly outlining the decision to impose restrictions in
BT60 on Thursday, the health minister confirmed that the new regulations giving
the local restrictions legal force also apply to the greater Belfast area.
There was confusion on Wednesday after it emerged that parts of Lisburn and Castlereagh
Council in greater Belfast would be included in the restricted zones, despite initial
communication from the executive and Department of Health saying it would only apply
to Belfast City Council.
Mr Swann said the extension to parts of Dundonald and Carryduff "reflect the population
flows and public transport linkages and Belfast identity of these specific districts".
Further details are available here. : joker
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