Face coverings mandatory in various settings across England

Face coverings must be worn in additional enclosed public spaces from 24 July in England. In England you must wear a face covering by law in the following settings:

public transport
indoor transport hubs
shops and supermarkets
indoor shopping centres
banks, building societies, and post offices.

It is compulsory to wear a face covering when buying food and drink to take away from cafes and shops. Face coverings are not required in hospitality settings, including restaurants with table service, bars, and pubs. They are also not required in entertainment venues (such as cinemas or casinos), visitor attractions (such as heritage sites or museums), exercise and sports venues (such as gyms).

Shops, supermarkets and other premises where face coverings are required are encouraged to take reasonable steps to promote compliance with the law and could refuse entry to anyone who does not have a valid exemption. Transport operators can deny access to their public transport services if a passenger is not wearing a face covering, or direct them to wear one or leave a service if they are not wearing a face covering.

Face coverings are not mandatory for anyone under the age of 11 or those with disabilities or certain health conditions. Review the list of face covering exemptions and share with your members. See further guidance and details of the legislation from the College of Policing on our Coronavirus Hub.

Travel corridors update

From today, Tuesday 28 July 2020, passengers will not need to self-isolate when arriving in England from:

Estonia;
Latvia;
Slovakia;
Slovenia; and
St Vincent and the Grenadines.

Spain removed from travel corridors exemption list

If you arrive in England, Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland from Spain on or after 26 July 2020 you will need to self-isolate. Travel corridor countries continue to be reviewed and will be removed immediately should the public health situation change for the worse.

BCC responds to 14-day quarantine for UK arrivals from Spain

Take a look at our response to the announcement that UK arrivals from Spain will have to self-isolate for 14 days. Share with your members on Twitter and LinkedIn.

Working safely during Coronavirus – updated guidance

COVID-secure workplace guidance for vehicles has been updated to reflect changes to the rules on working from home and when to wear face coverings (section 6.1). Updated guidance is also available on the disposal of face coverings and PPE (section 5.1) and work-related travel (section 7.2). UK Chambers please share with your members as relevant.

Updated guidance on the Eat Out to Help Out Scheme

A reminder that registration for the scheme is open. Further support from HM Revenue and Customs is available through the webchat service and helpline as well as information on sales that are eligible and how to claim the reimbursement for discounts given to diners.

The Eat Out to Help Out Scheme runs from 3 August  – 31 August. Find a restaurant that’s registered for the scheme and share with your members.