What you can and cannot do after 10pm as new curfew comes in
The rules are changing from tonight.
Coronavirus restrictions are being tightened once again in the wake of a surge in cases – with Boris Johnson’s 10pm curfew on pubs and restaurants set to come into force tonight.
The new rules will mean that hospitality venues will have to be closed by this time in England – having yet further impact on an industry that was already hit badly by the lockdown earlier in the year.
There are some notable exemptions to the rules – but just what can you and can’t you do after 10pm once the curfew is imposed?
Here’s what you need to know…
What can’t you do after 10pm?
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This, according to the new rules, is what you won’t be able to do after 10pm…
Go to a pub, bar or restaurant – the new rules state that these must close their doors by 10pm (as opposed to being the time for last orders).
Get a takeaway in person – takeaways are also subject to the curfew, meaning that they will also be closed to customers after 10pm.
Go to a casino – they are included in the curfew and will have to close at 10pm (even if you’re in the middle of a winning streak at the time).
Go to a hotel bar – hotel bars and restaurants are also set to close at 10pm, although obviously guests are allowed to remain in the hotel
Go to a skating rink or bowling alley – they will be closing at 10pm too
In addition to the rules, pubs, bars and restaurants are only allowed to have table service, and the rules around face coverings have also been tightened – you’ll now have to wear one inside a venue except when seated at a table to eat or drink (so you’ll need it if you get up to use the toilet, for example).
The guidance also varies slightly depending on where in the UK you are – Scotland is bringing the curfew in from Friday, while northern Ireland has yet to introduce a curfew.
In Wales, however, the curfew extends to the selling of alcohol in other establishments – including supermarkets and off-licences – after 10pm.
What can you do after 10pm
It’s not all bad news, as there are still some things you can do after 10pm…
Go to your friends or family’s house – as long as you are not in a local lockdown area where visits to other people’s homes are off-limits, you can go to someone’s house after the pub closes to continue socialising there (as long as there are only six of you in total as per the Rule of Six)
Michael Gove confirmed this on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme when asked, saying: ‘It is the case that with the rule of six, you can have six people in a social gathering, yes. But the steps that we’re taking here reflect some of the evidence that’s been gathered from those parts of the country where these restrictions have already been put in place.’
However you should note that you can only do this in England – Scotland and Northern Ireland have banned households from mixing indoors, while six can gather in Wales as long as they are part of one extended household.
Order a delivery or get a drive-thru takeaway – while takeaways may be closed to walk-in customers they are allowed to stay open later for deliveries and drive-through orders, so you can still get a late night snack if you want it.
Go to the gym – gyms are exempt from the curfew, as they have their own Covid-secure guidelines – so your late-night workout is safe.
Go to the cinema or theatre – cinemas and theatres are exempt from closing their doors by 10pm, as long as screenings or performances begin before this time – with Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden confirming that ‘performances may run over the 10pm deadline’.
However the venues must stop serving food and drink by 10pm.
MORE: England ‘could ban household visits’ if 10pm curfew and ‘rule of six’ don’t work
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