Covid: What are the new rules for pubs and restaurants?

Pubs, restaurants and cafes in Wales have stopped selling alcohol.

Those in some parts of England have reopened, but with tougher rules and there are different restrictions in place in Scotland and Northern Ireland.

There are also special rules over the Christmas period.

Welsh pubs, restaurants and cafes are open, but they are banned from serving alcohol.

Under new restrictions, hospitality venues will also have to close their doors to customers by 18:00 GMT.

Businesses will, however, still be allowed to provide a takeaway service after that time for food or non-alcoholic drinks.

If they have an off-licence, they can sell takeaway alcohol up until 22:00.

The regulations will be reviewed on 17 December.

The rule allowing a maximum of four people from four different households to meet in pubs and restaurants will stay in place. That does not include children under the age of 11.

Entry to premises is controlled and you will probably be required to pre-book with details of all group members.

Customers must wear face coverings, except when seated to eat or drink.

Businesses are legally required to take customers' contact details. They can be fined up to £10,000 if they do not do this, or if they take reservations of more than four, or do not enforce social distancing.

The rules vary across the three tiers. The tiers are reviewed every 14 days with the next review due by 16 December.

In tier two areas - where about 60% of England's population lives - hospitality venues can only serve alcohol alongside a "substantial meal".

Venues will only offer table service, and diners could also be asked to leave once they have finished eating, No 10 has confirmed.

Environment Secretary George Eustice told LBC Radio that Scotch eggs would constitute such a meal, while legislation says it should be at least the main course of a breakfast, midday or evening meal, served at a table.

Up to six people from different households can sit together outside in a pub garden.

Businesses in all tiers are legally required to take customers' contact details, so they can be traced if there is an outbreak. Businesses can be fined up to £10,000 for failing to do this, for taking reservations of more than six, or not enforcing social distancing.

Staff in hospitality venues must wear masks, as must customers when not seated at their table to eat or drink. The penalty for not wearing one, or breaking the ''rule of six'' is £200 for a first offence.

Wedding receptions and wakes - where drinks and food are often served - will be permitted in tiers one and two.

People will be able to have 15 guests for weddings, civil partnerships, wedding receptions and wakes, as well as 30 guests for funerals in all tiers. But wedding receptions will not be permitted in tier three.

Northern Ireland is in a two-week circuit-break lockdown, which started on Friday 27 November.

Pubs, bars, restaurants, cafes and coffee shops are shut, except for takeaways and deliveries, which must stop by 23:00.

Each area of Scotland has been placed in one of five tiers.

Restaurants, pubs and bars can open in regions that are placed in level zero, level one, level two or level three.

In level zero, up to eight people from three households can meet indoors, while in level one, a maximum of six people from two households can meet indoors.

In level two, pubs, bars and restaurants are permitted to sell alcoholic drinks only if they come with substantial meals.

This is allowed only until 20:00 indoors, and outdoors until 22:30.

In level three, alcohol sales are not permitted either indoors or outdoors. Cafes, pubs and restaurants are permitted to serve food and non-alcoholic drinks until 18:00.

And in level four, all hospitality venues must close.

Table service and the wearing of face coverings when not seated by all customers is mandatory in all hospitality venues.

UK pub and hospitality bodies have published guidance for bars and restaurants on how to operate contact tracing.

Despite the arrangements for meeting others over the festive period, you will not be allowed to go with your Christmas bubble to hospitality settings, such as pubs and restaurants, or to entertainment venues.

You can meet other people outside your Christmas bubble, but only in line with the tier rules of the area in which you are staying.