Weddings flout rules by ‘going underground’
WEDDINGS are “going underground” as couples use back gardens and pubs to flout restrictions on gatherings.
Newlyweds are hosting their wedding receptions in venues such as pubs, and even their homes, in an attempt to get around the Government’s restrictions.
It is currently against the law for gatherings of more than 30 people to take place in private homes, while pubs and restaurants limit those at a table to groups from a maximum of two households.
Last night, the Association of British Wedding Businesses (ABWB), which is locked in negotiations with the Government to save the sector, told The Sunday Tele
graph that they have seen people flouting these regulations, and that latest government guidance will only make things worse.
“The ABWB has already evidenced couples moving their celebrations to large pubs and restaurants where they can use their own interpretation of guidelines to gather large numbers,” said Duncan Clark, its chairman.
“Worse still, we are aware of a number of couples going underground, taking to their own back gardens with marquees to host large celebrations that will flout social distancing guidance and increase the risk of transmission. With celebrations now able to commence but limited to up to 30 people, we fear that this situation will only worsen over the summer months.”
Boris Johnson announced on Friday that wedding receptions could commence with a limit of 30 people from August 1, with the guidelines set to be reviewed in November. Industry representatives who have been meeting with government ministers and Public Health England over the past few weeks said last night that this step is not good enough.
The Sunday Telegraph understands that this week talks were moving towards an exception for weddings, which would allow receptions of more than 30 people if venues could be made Covid-19 secure.
A member of ABWB’s negotiating team told The Sunday Telegraph: “Aspirations for increased numbers by November are too late … As a result, many thousands of jobs are at risk and venues simply cannot survive without urgent financial support from the Government.”