England's pubs and bars could face £1K fine for loud music and 'allowing dancing'
The new restrictions, which go further than last week’s introduction of a 10 PM curfew, include placing an 85-decibel limit on music played in pubs, bars, restaurants and cafes or the businesses face a £1,000 fine. (Unlike Northern Ireland’s new rules, this does not also apply to live music performances.)
Establishments could also be hit with a £1,000 fine for “allowing dancing,” and venue managers must take “all reasonable measures” to stop people from dancing and singing in groups of more than six, according to the Mirror. (The Guardian has put together a list of all the new law’s measures here.)
While the decibel limit likely comes from the fact that higher volumes of music lead to people speaking louder and potentially projecting more virus aerosols, these new restrictions are yet another knock against the already suffering hospitality and nightlife industries. In addition to the 10 PM curfew, the UK government’s recent actions, such as the new “jobs support scheme” meant to pick up when the current furlough scheme ends on October 31st, have done little to support nightclubs, venues, festivals and other creative and events-based companies and those who work for them. As a result, the #LetUsDance campaign, which launched in July, is gaining momentum as many in the dance music industry are sharing the campaign’s petition calling for more support for nightclubs, dance music events and festivals.
Please take the time to sign this.
A lot of people are struggling right now
And the tories simply don’t care.
This won’t just help musicians, this helps all of the arts so pls pls sign below ??
https://t.co/nYGT4lEXzS— SHERELLE ? (@iamsherelle) October 1, 2020
Everyone needs to go & sign this! Can’t let our nightlife be abandoned like this ? https://t.co/wp2hHPMNjr
— FLAVA D (@FlavaD) September 30, 2020
Earlier this week Apprenticeships & Skills minister MP Gillian Keegan appeared on Sky News to talk about the situation that nightclubs and venues are in, DJ Mag reports. “It’s difficult to see how you could go to a nightclub within the rule of six,” she told presenter Kay Burley. “How can you socially distance and have a good time in a nightclub?”
“I think it is difficult to see how you could keep the coronavirus under control, indoors in those kind of situations, which is why they haven’t been opened yet,” MP Keegan added. Watch the full interview here.
Support and sign the #LetUsDance petition here.
Photo credit: The Lion & Lamb
