Updated coronavirus guidelines announced

10 September 2020

This week the Government announced the re-introduction of coronavirus restrictions around the number of people you can mix with in a social capacity. 

From Monday 14 September, limits on the number of people you can see socially are changing – with meetings of a group of more than six, indoors or outdoors, no longer permitted.

Venues, such as pubs and restaurant, following Covid-19 secure guidelines will be able to continue to host more people in total. Education and work settings are unaffected by the new legislations, and organised team sports will still be able to proceed, as will weddings and funerals up to 30.

Paul Szomoru, Director of Business Events at NewcastleGateshead Convention Bureau, commented: “While this announcement is clearly a setback for many tourism businesses, we are working with regional and national partners to push for further clarification on what this means for business events. Our understanding at present is that this change to the law applies to social gatherings, with work, training and education clearly stated as being exempt in the Government’s guidelines.

“Business events will return at some point and we need to be in a position for this to happen. Our #ItsTyneToMeetAgain campaign aims to show organisers that NewcastleGateshead and the North East of England is ready to welcome back business events when it is safe to do so. Business events are an important part of the economy and we should be encouraging them to happen, as long as all the safety guidelines are strictly adhered to.  

“We will continue to push for clarification on the subject and will keep our partners updated wherever possible.”

More information on the new guidance can be found here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-meeting-with-others-safely-social-distancing/coronavirus-covid-19-meeting-with-others-safely-social-distancing

With further FAQs here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-outbreak-faqs-what-you-can-and-cant-do/coronavirus-outbreak-faqs-what-you-can-and-cant-do