Covid-19: Lockdown restrictions lift across NI

Shoppers in Belfast city centre on Friday

Non-essential retail and some parts of the hospitality sector in Northern Ireland are now able to reopen.

A two-week limited lockdown, which was imposed on 27 November, ended at 23:59 GMT on Thursday.

Restaurants, cafes and other venues serving food can resume trading, however pubs that do not serve food must remain shut.

Ahead of the reopening, Health Minister Robin Swann warned against a "festive free-for-all".

On Thursday night the NI Executive's new Covid-19 regulations were published.

The regulations, which came into force just before midnight on Thursday, provided further details on the latest rules.

They state that any food served must have been prepared "in a static and permanent kitchen on the premises of the bar, hotel, pub or club and which is eaten by a person seated at a table".

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They also outline that every person who visits hospitality must provide their name and telephone number.

Other restrictions that have been lifted:

• Hairdressers, barbers and beauty salons can reopen but visits to them are by appointment only

• Churches can resume services, while weddings and funerals will have their cap of 25 people lifted- a risk assessment should be carried out to determine how many people a venue can safely accommodate

• Gyms can reopen for individual training but not for classes

• Sports training and matches can resume at all levels

• Up to 500 spectators can attend outdoor sporting events

Households are still not allowed to mix indoors in private homes, except where strict exemptions apply.

These restrictions will partially ease on 23 December for five days over the Christmas period.

A two-week limited lockdown, which was imposed on 27 November has ended

Confirming the lifting of restrictions on Thursday, First Minister Arlene Foster said the reproduction (R) number, was around 1, giving the Stormont Executive the "necessary headroom to move ahead with the planned changes".

On Thursday, another 14 coronavirus-related deaths were recorded by Northern Ireland's Department of Health, bringing the total number of deaths to 1,099.

A further 441 people have also tested positive for the virus.

Shoppers were out and about in Banbridge on Friday morning

Mrs Foster said: "People have to realise that personal responsibility is the key issue here. We have made provision that people can get together over Christmas, but they should do so in a safe way.

"We are keeping a very close eye on where the R number is at. We'll be looking at it again next week, and the week after to see where we're going with restrictions."

Deputy First Minister Michelle O'Neill said the decision to lift some restrictions was "supported by the public health team".

"The next number of weeks are crucial," she said.

"If people want to have a nice Christmas with their family, don't ruin it by being reckless in the next number of weeks."

For the hospitality industry there are a number of restrictions which will still apply:

• All hospitality venues must close by 23:00 GMT

• A maximum of six people from no more than two households can be seated at a table

• More than six will be permitted if they all belong to a single household

• Food and drink are only allowed to be consumed when individuals are seated at a table

• Unless it is not reasonably practicable, the individuals seated at a table must be 2m away from the next table

• All venues will also be required to collect all customer details to help with the Test, Trace, Protect contact tracing programme

Reaction: 'There's no certainty on how long we'll be open'

Bob McCoubrey from the Mourne Seafood Bar in Belfast said he had to reduce capacity to 45% to adhere to social distancing rules and takings would be equivalent to "a Monday in February".

"It's a borderline decision for us and we still don't know if there's something in the legislation that will throw a spanner in the works," he said.

"Every week we were closed we were definitely losing money, I think our target is to try and break even and try and get the staff some hours before Christmas time."

Restaurateur Bob McCoubrey said he was frustrated that detailed guidance was not provided by the NI Executive sooner

John McGirr, who owns Sally's of Omagh, has decided to stay closed over Christmas, despite running a bar that serves food.

"There's no certainty on how long were going to be open," he told BBC News NI.

"Our suppliers have been great with us, taking back stock that we ordered previously when we opened and closed, but this time they said they weren't taking any back.

"So there's a chance you'd be buying a lot more for Christmas and then be told, 'you're closing tomorrow'."

Sally's of Omagh said it looked forward to 2021 when it could "provide everyone with a night out free from restrictions"

Derry publican Michael Flanagan owns a non-food bar and said even if he could reopen, he is not convinced he would.

"I think there is going to be a terrible spike [in coronavirus cases] in January. Good luck to anybody that can open, but I don't think this will work even in a pub that serves food.

Progress on a vaccine too, he fears, may lead the public to "drop their guard".

Health Minister Robin Swann said: "We have to keep doing the basics - reducing our contacts, keeping our distance from others, wearing a face covering and washing our hands.

"Be aware of particularly risky settings - crowded indoor settings with poor ventilation where social distancing is difficult or impossible to maintain.

"If a shop, pub, café or household falls into that category and looks too busy, walk away."

Retail NI Chief Executive Glyn Roberts has urged people to shop safely.

"This is the most important time of the year for retailers and many will want to make the ground lost over the past two weeks of the circuit-breaker," he said.

"Many of our town centres will have Covid Ambassadors, public hand sanitisers and business compliance signage which we hope will give reassurance to the general public."

On Tuesday the first Covid-19 vaccine in Northern Ireland was given to the nurse who is heading up the vaccine roll out in Belfast.

The first care home residents were also vaccinated against Covid-19 in Northern Ireland.