Owners of night clubs and music venues have responded with dismay after Boris Johnson announced that 'Covid passports' will be mandatory for attendees just as the industry started to open again on Freedom Day.
The Prime Minister announced in his Covid-19 briefing on Monday that proof of double-vaccination will be mandatory for nightclubs and similar settings. A Downing Street spokesman went on to clarify on Tuesday afternoon that it has not ruled out extending the mandatory use of vaccine passports to pubs.
Boris Johnson’s official spokesman said: “The Prime Minister talked about the sort of areas we were considering, and nightclubs are where there is significant evidence we have at the moment.
Read more: Mixed feelings over July 19 reopening - as famous city venues fear lockdown will return
“But we’re going to use the coming weeks to look at the evidence, particularly both in the 海角视频 and globally before making a specific decision.”
Johnson said in his press conference: “I don’t want to have to close nightclubs again as they have elsewhere, but it does mean nightclubs need to do the socially responsible thing and make use of the NHS Covid pass.
“I should serve notice now that by the end of September, when all over-18s will have had their chance to be double jabbed, we are planning to make full vaccination the condition of entry to nightclubs and other venues where large crowds gather.”
What has the reaction been?
Michael Kill, Chief Executive of the Night Time Industries Association said that Freedom Day for night clubs lasted around 17 hours, calling the U-turn an 'absolute shambles'
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He said: "The announcement from the Prime Minister that Covid passports will be made mandatory for night clubs in September comes after his Health Secretary said only one week ago that they would not be compulsory.
“Leaving aside the fact that this is yet another chaotic u-turn that will leave night clubs who have been planning for reopening for months will now have to make more changes to the way they operate – this is still a bad idea. 80% of nightclubs have said they do not want to implement Covid passports, worrying about difficulties with enforcing the system and a reduction in spontaneous consumers, as well as being put at a competitive disadvantage with pubs and bars that aren’t subject to the same restrictions and yet provide similar environments.”
“The Government’s own report into vaccine passports found they were more trouble than they’re worth – so what could possibly explain the about turn, just as millions across the 海角视频 experience their first taste of a night out in a year and a half…?”
His sentiments have been echoed by Sacha Lord, Night Time Economy tsar for Greater Manchester. He took to social media to say: "Obvious questions over how these checks will be enforced, and the financial impact.
"How can nightclubs compete with pubs and bars down the road where these restrictions aren't needed, or attract punters who can just as easily have a house party?!"
He also said that the decision is discriminatory for those who either can't have the vaccine for medical reasons or age, or who don't want to.
"With this one move, the Government appears to have wiped out live gigs for a whole generation who have already suffered hugely during this pandemic."
What other venues will be affected?
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Further details have yet to be made public. What we do know is that on Tuesday, a Downing Street spokesman has not ruled out extending the mandatory use of vaccine passports to pubs
However, earlier on Tuesday morning Business minister Paul Scully told Sky News that “crowded pubs” would not be included in plans to use Covid-19 certification.
He said nightclubs and “larger ticketed events” would be affected and he said “there are a number of sporting venues that are already looking at voluntarily doing this”.
Prior to Johnson's announcement on July 19, the Government - updated on July 16 - on the types of places that should encourage use of Covid passes.
The guidance states the government will work with organisations where people are likely to be in close proximity to others outside their household to encourage the use Covid passes, known as Covid passports.
It said that use of the NHS COVID Pass is voluntary for individual organisations.
The guidance reads: "However, we encourage the use of the NHS COVID Pass in facilities or events where people are likely to be in close proximity to a large number of people from other households for a sustained period of time.
This is likely to include settings that have the following characteristics:
Crowded indoor settings such as nightclubs and music venues
Large unstructured outdoor events such as business events and festivals
Very large structured events such as business events, music and spectator sport events
Have your say: How would a Covid-passport rule affect your business - tell us in the comments below
When will it be introduced?
No date has yet been given but the Business minister Paul Scully indicated on Tuesday that mandatory use for nightclubs and similar venues would come into force by the end of September.
He said that the Government needs time to get the way it works and definitions right.
Asked on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme why it is OK for unvaccinated people to go clubbing now but not in September, he said: “I think there are two reasons for putting it to September.
“First of all we need to get the way it works right and the definitions right.
“But, clearly, by September as well… at the moment 85% of the adult population has been vaccinated, by that stage everybody over the age of 18 will have had the chance to get vaccinated.”
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