Venues prepare for Covid pass scheme to begin
FROM 7am on Monday, people attending nightclubs in Wales will need to show a Covid pass.
But how does it work for venues which have a dancefloor, or are a nightclub at certain times? And when does a pub or bar which plays music become a nightclub?
The regulations define a premises as being somewhere:
■ Authorised for the sale or supply of alcohol;
■ Where live or recorded music is provided for members of the public or members of the venue to dance, including nightclubs, discotheques and dance halls; and,
■ Which are open at any time between midnight and 5am.
It means that venues will have to ask – and customers will need to show – a Covid pass at any time if they are open and providing music for people to dance.
However, if a nightclub (or similar venue) is open but not playing music for people to dance, they are exempt from having to ask for the passes. It doesn’t matter what time it is, if there is music being played for dancing, and not background music, the regulations have to be followed.
For example, in the run-up to Christmas, if a DJ is playing music for Christmas parties in the afternoon, the Covid pass regulations come into force.
The opening times of the venue also come into play, however. If it is a venue which closes at say 11pm – before the midnight deadline spelled out in the regulations – it can play music for dancing and people would not be required to produce their Covid pass.
Welsh Government is adamant there is support from businesses for the Covid pass scheme and officials say it is the best way to ensure venues can stay open as cases rise in Wales.
Introducing the policy ahead of a chaotic vote in the Senedd on Tuesday, Health Minister Eluned Morgan said: “We haven’t taken the decision to introduce such measures lightly. We know that the rates amongst those under 25 are around 1,000 per 100,000 people, and that this age group is the most likely to attend some of these venues, in particular nightclubs.
“We are taking these measures to support venues to stay open and enable events to continue taking place through a potentially very difficult and challenging autumn and winter. Keeping these venues open is not an easy decision in the light of such high Covid rates.”