Do I have to wear a face mask in the pub today – and other rules as hospitality reopens
After three months collecting dust, pubs and restaurants across the UK will be able to reopen to customers today, with some already swinging open their doors at 6am this morning.
After three months collecting dust, pubs and restaurants across the UK will be able to reopen to customers today, with some already swinging open their doors at 6am this morning.
The day marks the single biggest easing of the coronavirus lockdown since the pandemic began, with most hospitality and culture venues being given the green light to operate.
Two-metre social distancing has been shrunk to “1m+” and you will now be able to see loved ones at will in any private setting.
But of course, there are still plenty of measures in place that you will need to follow.
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Do I need to wear a face mask in the pub?
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While you will need to wear a face mask if travelling to pubs and bars on public transport, there are no rules that require you to wear one when you get to your destination. Of course, it is recommended that you wear your face coverings at all times, even between sips of your drink, but it is not a mandatory guideline in these reopened establishments.
Should we still stay two-metres apart?
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The government wants you to maintain a two-metre distance from people today, however it is not mandatory anymore. There is a new “1m+” rule in place with pubs introducing measures such as no drinking at the bar, table-service only and plenty of screens around the venue to protect punters and staff if distancing cannot be achieved.
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Will I have to disclose my information?
If you haven’t already booked online, then most pubs, bars and restaurants will ask you to provide your name and contact details upon entering. This is so that if there is an outbreak at a specific venue, those who have registered there can be tracked and informed.
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As Greater Manchester recovers from the pandemic, more people are returning to work and using shops and services. And with pubs, restaurants and other hospitality venues reopening from today, it’s as important as ever that everyone feels confident and safe when they travel.
We all need to play our part to reopen Greater Manchester safely, so TfGM are doing theirs by providing the information and options you need to make smart and safe choices. This way you can protect yourself and others around you.
Manchester’s libraries to become ‘warm spaces’ with free hot drinks and WiFi this winter
Emily Sergeant
Manchester’s libraries are set to become ‘warm welcome spaces’ offering free hot drinks and internet access to those in need again this winter.
After millions of local residents visited the ‘stigma-free safe spaces’ to escape and take refuge from the cold each year since they were first introduced in 2022, Manchester City Council has decided to reintroduce its popular ‘Warm Welcome Spaces’ scheme again this year during the chillier months.
All 22 of Manchester‘s public libraries are, once again, taking part in the scheme this time around.
Designed to ‘provide support to people who need it’ over some of the most challenging months of the year when temperatures drop, the Council’s scheme is offering a range of different services – and they’re all for free of charge.
Free hot drinks, WiFi and internet access, data SIM cards, and newspapers are just some of the things people can make the most of inside these ‘warm spaces’, as well as get access to information, advice, and extra signposting to other support services they made need in the city.
Manchester’s libraries will become ‘warm spaces’ with free hot drinks and WiFi again this winter / Credit: Haydon Waldeck | koolshooters (Pexels)
There will be age-friendly spaces to connect with others, story times once a week at 11am for children under five, and even weekly digital drop-ins too.
Manchester Central Library, Miles Platting Community Library, Hulme High Street Library, Beswick Library, Longsight Library, and Abraham Moss Library are just some of the libraries taking part this winter.
All 22 libraries will be free to enter, and the Council says people can stay in them ‘for as long as you like’.
“For many years, the Council has been a proud supporter of the Warm Welcome Spaces initiative,” explained Councillor Thomas Robinson, who is the Executive Member for Healthy Manchester and Adult Social Care at Manchester City Council.
“In Manchester we have been all too aware of the impact of the cost-of-living crisis and the hardships people have suffered as a result.
“It’s not an exaggeration to say this work has the potential to be lifesaving. The simple act of offering a person a safe place where they can interact with other Mancunians, to not feel alone or get the help they need, can have a lasting and meaningful impact.”
Find your local free ‘Warm Welcome Space’ in Manchester here.
Featured Image – RawPixel
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University fees set to increase in line with inflation but Government promises ‘better outcomes’ for students
Emily Sergeant
University tuition fees are set to increase in line with forecasted inflation for the next two academic years, the Government has announced.
Last year was the first year, since 2017, that tuition fees were increased in line with inflation, and now that the Office for Students is forecasting that 43% of institutions will be in deficit without further action to ‘shore up’ their finances, the Government has announced in its ‘landmark’ Post-16 Education and Skills White Paper – published this week – that fees will need to rise again.
To support universities in continuing to deliver world-class teaching and research, tuition fees will rise in line with forecast inflation for the next two academic years.
According to the Department for Education, legislation will then be brought forward, when parliamentary time allows, to enable automatic increases to fee caps in future years in line with inflation – but this will only be institutions that meet tough new quality thresholds set by the Office for Students.
Where standards are deemed to ‘fall short’, the Office for Students will then act quickly to stop the expansion of low-quality courses and will aim to hold providers to account.
University fees are set to increase in line with inflation for the next two years / Credit: PickPik
Universities that underperform could face financial and regulatory consequences, the Government has confirmed, as a way of ensuring public money is spent only on courses that deliver for students and the economy overall.
“Young people from all backgrounds feel they have been let down by a system that talks about opportunity but too often fails to deliver it,” commented Education Secretary, Bridget Phillipson, as the White Paper was published this week.
“Universities charge significant fees for their courses, but if they are going to charge the maximum, it is right that they deliver the world-class education students expect.
“These reforms will ensure value for money, higher standards across our universities and colleges and a renewed focus on the skills our economy needs.”
The Government has also said it will also work with universities and local authorities to ensure they offer ‘adequate accommodation’ for their students.
It will also support efforts to drive down the cost of living going forward.
The Manc -
4th July 2020 
