Covid-19: Live music return in Northern Ireland given indicative 21 June date

The communities minister has said she is hopeful live music can resume in Northern Ireland before the end of June.

Deirdre Hargey said she is looking at an indicative date of 21 June.

That date needs to be approved during a review of Covid-19 restrictions by Stormont ministers next week.

Ms Hargey also said she hoped the 500-person cap on outdoor gatherings can be removed and replaced with risk assessments.

No live music is permitted in pubs and clubs under current Covid-19 regulations.

Arts, music, culture and heritage has been hit hard by the pandemic, with many venues closed to audiences since March 2020.

Risk assessments are being used to determine capacity for venues hosting weddings, funerals and outdoor gatherings for fewer than 500 people but more than 30.

Ms Hargey says she hopes the 500-person cap on outdoor gatherings can be removed and replaced with risk assessments

Ms Hargey told BBC's Evening Extra programme that the indicative 21 June date is "predicated on the health advice, so I'm working that we can have live music back in venues as soon as possible".

She added that indoor events would "maintain a level of social distancing" but that she was "hopeful that we can look at the cap as part of this for outdoor gatherings".

"I am looking as part of this package of relaxations, if the health advice allows it, that we can lift that cap as well."

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A promoter for the outdoor music festival Belsonic said the cap on outdoor gatherings has to be revised so outdoor music events can be economically viable.

"We have a run of concerts at Custom House Square in August and then some of the Belsonic concerts have been rescheduled until September.

"If you have any social distancing measures in place, it doesn't really add up. In terms of Northern Ireland, I haven't heard a figure but I think it's understood that that 500 figure would need to increase.

Some plays, live music, performances and exhibitions resumed in England, Wales and Scotland on 17 May.