Clubs in Northern Ireland to reopen from 31 October

© Danny Seaton

Social distancing measures in bars and restaurants will also be lifted at the end of the month.

Nightclubs will reopen from 31 October in Northern Ireland, the BBC reports. 

Social distancing measures in bars, restaurants and other hospitality businesses will also be scrapped on the same day that nightclubs return and current limitations on indoor dancing are lifted.

Event organisers and venues will be asked to voluntarily introduce entry systems that will require attendees to either prove full vaccination or a negative lateral flow test, or evidence of a Covid-19 infection within the past six months, however this is not expected to be a legal requirement. According to the BBC“a number of mitigations” have been agreed upon. 

In a new statement, the Northern Ireland Executive said: “The use of mitigating measures is key in easing restrictions and engagement has taken place across sectors on the partnership effort required to facilitate relaxations.”

“These relaxations rely on the adoption and implementation of measures that will help reduce the transmission of the virus and allow people to gather more safely in settings that would otherwise be considered higher risk.”

“Extensive engagement has taken place with the arts, entertainment and hospitality sectors and there has been a positive response to taking additional steps to ensure the safety of customers, staff and the wider community.”

Elsewhere in the UK, England has scrapped mandatory vaccine passport plans for entry into nightclubs and large events. However, this scheme is set to be introduced in Wales on 11 October. In Scotland, a vaccine passport scheme came into effect at the start of the month, on 1 October.

Read: Vaccine passports for clubs: “The government is looking for an easy scapegoat with the nightlife industry”.