Bizarre new laws in North East mean only ONE person can sing in inside – but 6 outdoors or elsewhere
BIZARRE new laws have come into force in the North East of England overnight which mean only one person can sing inside – but six can do so outside.
In late night regulations slipped out just minutes before they came into force, it introduced extra rules for Newcastle, Durham, Sunderland and other parts of the North East.
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Where are the affected areas in the North East of England?
- Durham (County Council area)
- Gateshead (Metropolitan Borough Council area)
- Newcastle (City Council area)
- Northumberland (County Council area)
- North Tyneside (Metropolitan District Council area)
- South Tyneside (Metropolitan District Council area)
- Sunderland (City Council area)
Cases in the area as a whole are above 100 per 100,000, Matt Hancock revealed earlier this week.
The new legislation outlaws people from meeting up inside homes and other indoor venues with people they don’t live with.
They face fines of £200 for breaking the law, which could rise up into the thousands for repeat offenders.
So meeting up with parents to go to the pub, or friends for a restaurant meal is now illegal – unless you live with them already.
But you won’t get fined for singing in groups in the pub – the onus is on the owner of the bar to stop you and they could face penalties of £1000.
They must also ensure that no more than six people are in a group, too, or they could face similar penalties, the new laws say.
People outside of the North East can continue to sing in a group of up to six, inside.
The new rules came in at 00.01 this morning.
The guidance states you shouldn’t meet people you don’t live with in outdoor spaces like beer gardens, pavements, roads or parks either.
But this isn’t technically illegal and you won’t face a fine.
People in the North East shouldn’t travel unless it’s for essential reasons – like work, getting food, or going to school.
Again, though, this isn’t illegal and you won’t face fines for doing this.
RULE OF SIX
As part of new coronavirus rules across the whole country, people can’t meet in groups of six or face being slapped with hefty fines.
And hospitality venues must shut at 10pm and kick punters out – but drive through are allowed to continue.
Anywhere serving alcohol must do table service.
Weddings are exempt from the rules and have their numbers capped at 15.
Dancing and singing is allowed, however.
Exemptions for the rules not to meet others indoors include:
- Work
- Support bubbles or childcare arrangements
- To visit a person who is dying
- To fulfil legal obligations
- Providing emergency assistance or care to a vulnerable person
- Moving house
- School or other education
New laws for the North East from today
- No meeting up with anyone you don’t live with indoors – that includes homes, the pub, restaurants, or anywhere else
- You can face fines of £200 or more if you break the law
- You are not supposed to meet other people you do not live with outside – like in the park or pub garden. But this is NOT against the law and you won’t be fined
- But you can be fined if you break the ‘rule of six’ – so no more than six people meeting in a group at once
- Singing is banned indoors for groups of two people or more
- You can sing in a group of six in the North East outside
- Venues must make sure that people don’t come in groups of more than six – or that someone extra doesn’t join a group
