Reward for faithful in bid to save Christmas

Services allowed to resume in churches in run-up to festive season yet curbs will be tightened for pubs

CHURCH services will resume across England next month under a revamped tiers system, as Boris Johnson seeks to salvage the festivities leading up to Christmas.

The Prime Minister will today confirm a return to the regional system from Dec 2, which will see restrictions on pubs and restaurants tightened, while they are relaxed for other activities including grassroots sport.

Christmas shopping will also be given the go-ahead with non-essential retail reopening in all three tiers to ensure people are able to buy presents.

However, restrictions on household mixing are expected to continue until the end of the month, when Mr Johnson is expected to introduce a fiveday window for families and friends to socialise in bubbles of three households.

CHURCH SERVICES

The Prime Minister will tomorrow confirm that church services including

Christingles and midnight mass will be able to take place in all three tiers.

However, Christmas carols and hymns will remain on hold for now, with the Government expected to reach a final decision in the coming days as to whether they are safe to go ahead.

The number of people permitted to attend church together is also set to be determined by the level of restrictions on household mixing in areas.

In Tier 1 areas, groups attending religious services are therefore expected to follow the rule of six – with larger families exempt – while in Tier 2 and 3 areas, they are likely to be asked to remain confined to their own household bubbles. The relaxation applies to all places of worship, including temples, mosques and synagogues.

It comes after the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, faced a backlash during the first lockdown for banning priests from entering their churches, prompting him to later row back on the instruction.

The Archbishop has taken a tougher stance during the second lockdown, but has faced renewed criticism after The Sunday Telegraph revealed he intends to take a three-month sabbatical next year for “spiritual renewal”.

Confirming the resumption of church services last night, a senior government source said: “We know how important places of worship are for communities across the country. We recognise that measures have been put in place to reduce the risk for those who wish to come together for communal worship. We know it has been a challenging year for everyone and places of worship are a huge source of comfort for many. That is why we have listened, and they will remain open across all tiers.”

HOSPITALITY

Pubs and restaurants in Tier 3 areas will be limited to takeaway and delivery services only from next month as part of a tightening of regional restrictions.

Under the previous system, pubs and restaurants which served substantial meals were permitted to stay open in “very high alert” level areas. However, the changes will mean that customers will be banned from dining in altogether.

Meanwhile, venues in Tier 2 areas will now be required to serve meals if they wish to stay open, meaning traditional “wet” pubs will be required to shut. Last night Kate Nicholls, the chief executive of UK Hospitality, warned the additional measures were “absolutely catastrophic” for the industry and would “undermine the long-term viability of the sector as a whole going forward”.

PUB CURFEW

Diners and pubgoers will be given more time to finish their meals and drinks under the new system. Venues in Tiers 1 and 2 are expected to have to abide by a new closing time of 11pm, with last orders called at 10pm. The change will mean that people are able to exit venues over a longer period of time.

It comes after government sources and scientists expressed alarm that the previous rule may have inadvertently increased the chances of transmission, as people flooded out onto the streets and public transport at closing time.

However, Michael Kill, chief executive of the Night Time Industries Association, warned it would only lead to “mass ordering” prior to service ending, adding that it risked recreating the traditional “happy hour” that has since been ditched.

Speaking to Sky’s Sophy Ridge programme yesterday, Prof Calum Semple, a member of the Scientific Advisory Group on Emergencies (Sage), said of the curfew: “History has got a lot to teach us. In the years of prohibition they tried to change the hours, they tried to say you could only drink if you had a meal, and everyone is very inventive and finds ways around it.

“Fiddling at the edges of something like drinking-up times or pubs’ closing times is simply not an effective mechanism.”

SPORT AND OTHER LEISURE ACTIVITIES

Outdoor sports such as golf and tennis are expected to restart in all tiers, as are amateur team sports such as Sundayleague football. Following the launch of the Telegraph’s Keep Kids Active campaign, government sources confirmed that children’s sports would also resume from December

One told this newspaper that ministers had been “deeply uncomfortable” with the decision to stop children’s sport during the second lockdown, with scientists and public health experts warning of a mental and physical health time bomb.

Gyms are expected to reopen in all three tiers, following a series of rows between ministers and regional northern mayors when the system was originally implemented.

While Liverpool originally agreed to close gyms in the city, the decision to keep them open in other Tier 3 areas quickly led to them being reopened.

Cinemas are set to reopen in Tiers 1 and 2, although insiders said that they would have to remain shut in Tier 3. Theatres are also unlikely to reopen for the Christmas panto season.

NON-ESSENTIAL RETAIL

Christmas shopping will be given the green light this year as the Government attempts to give high streets across the country a major boost.

Non-essential retail, including fashion, toys and gadget stores, will reopen their doors when the second lockdown ends on Dec 2. It follows concern that many people, including elderly people who are unfamiliar with online shopping, could struggle to purchase presents for friends and family.

SOCIALISING

Restrictions on household mixing are expected to stay largely the same. Under the original tiered system, people living in Tier 1 areas were required to abide by the rule of six both indoors and outdoors.

However, Government sources suggested last week that Tier 1 could be brought closer in line with Tiers 2 and 3 due to concerns among scientists that measures in the lowest level are proving ineffective.

In Tier 2 areas, the ban on household mixing indoors is expected to continue, although it is unclear whether the rule of six will still apply outdoors. The same applies for Tier 3, where people were permitted to meet in groups of six in public outdoor spaces such as beaches or parks, but not in private gardens.