Restaurants and pubs are reopening inside, but what are the rules?
- Published
Pubs, restaurants and cafes in England, Scotland and Wales, will soon be able to serve customers inside again.
But things won't quite be back to normal, with some Covid rules still in place.
What are the rules for pubs and restaurants in England from 17 May?
Lockdown rules will ease next Monday:
What are the rules now?
At the moment, pubs, cafes and restaurants can reopen outside, with rules including:
The government hopes to lift all restrictions from 21 June.
When will restrictions ease further in Scotland?
Scotland will ease its restrictions to Level 2 across most of the country on 17 May. For restaurants, bars and cafes this means:
- Venues can open until 22:30 indoors, serving food and alcohol in line with local licensing laws
- Customers will need to book two-hour slots
- Groups of up to six people from three households will be allowed to meet indoors
- Up to eight people from eight separate households will be able to meet outdoors.
At the moment, restaurants, bars and cafes can:
- Serve alcohol outdoors, for groups of up to six people from multiple households. Opening hours determined by local licensing laws
- Open indoors until 20:00 without alcohol, serving groups of up to six people from two different households
- Takeaway food can now be collected indoors
Under-12s do not count towards the number of people meeting outside - but do count towards household numbers indoors.
Physical distancing must be maintained with people you don't live with and venues must collect contact details for all customers.
The hope is that hospitality venues will be able to remain open indoors until 23:00 by from 7 June, when all areas of Scotland are expected to move to level one.
What about Wales?
Up to six people from different households will be able to meet indoors at pubs, cafes and restaurants from 17 May.
People who do not live together, or who are not in bubbles, should remain socially distanced, 2m (6ft) apart.
At the moment, pubs, cafes and restaurants can open outside:
- Six people from six households can meet. Children under 11 or working carers aren't counted
- Licensed premises can offer table service only, with measures to support physical distancing
- Customers are encouraged to pre-book and must provide contact details
What's happening in Northern Ireland?
It is hoped that indoor hospitality might reopen on 24 May.
Pubs, bars, cafes and restaurants are currently allowed to operate outdoors.
- Customers must be seated, with a maximum of six people from two households - or any number from one household - at each table (children aged 12 and under are not counted)
- Customers do not need to order a substantial meal to have an alcoholic drink
- Customers are allowed indoors to access toilet facilities, to select food from a buffet or to pay, but social distancing must be maintained.
- Venues must collect customer details to help with contact tracing.
Will I need a vaccine passport to go to the pub?
There is currently no legal requirement for customers to prove their Covid or vaccination status to access hospitality.
However, the government has said it will be legal for businesses to ask customers for proof if they wish to - as long as they do not break equality laws.
The PM has said there will be more details before the end of May about "what role there could be, if any," for Covid certificates and social distancing when lockdown is due to be eased further in England, on 21 June.