BREAKING NEWS: Cinemas allowed to reopen as London enters Tier 2

BREAKING NEWS… It has been announced that London will enter the government’s Tier 2 restrictions from the end of national lockdown on 02 December. This means cinemas will be allowed to reopen, with certain restrictions in place. Here’s everything you need to know…

By RADIANT CIRCUS

Twitter @radiantcircus | Instagram @radiantcircus

With this morning’s announcement, we finally learn that London will be entering the Tier 2: High Alert restrictions from 02 December. That means cinemas will be allowed to reopen with certain restrictions in place.

All tiers are subject to ongoing monitoring which means, if infection rates rise, London could be moved to Tier 3 which would close venues again. Let’s hope for so many reasons that doesn’t happen.

What does this mean for cinema going?

It means London audiences can return to the darkness from 02 December with the following restrictions and safety controls in place:

  • you must not socialise with anyone you do not live with or who is not in your support bubble in any indoor setting, whether at home or in a public place
  • businesses and venues can continue to operate, in a COVID-Secure manner, other than those which remain closed by law, such as nightclubs
  • pubs and bars must close, unless operating as restaurants. Hospitality venues can only serve alcohol with substantial meals
  • hospitality businesses selling food or drink for consumption on their premises are required to:
    • provide table service only, in premises which sell alcohol
    • close between 11pm and 5am
    • stop taking orders after 10pm
  • early closure (11pm) applies to casinos, cinemas, theatres, museums, bowling alleys, amusement arcades, funfairs, theme parks, adventure parks and activities, and bingo halls. Cinemas, theatres and concert halls can stay open beyond 11pm in order to conclude performances  that start before 10pm
  • public attendance at outdoor and indoor events (performances and shows) is permitted, limited to whichever is lower: 50% capacity, or either 2,000 people outdoors or 1,000 people indoors

FROM: gov.uk

Various cinemas had already adapted their offerings during the recent lockdown with the Prince Charles announcing a new booking system which allocates bookings in pairs in order to try to optimise their sales within social distancing capacity limits.

Which venues are reopening (& when)?

We think Genesis Cinema is first off the block with films now booking from 02 December. Many other venues are starting to reopen from 03 and 05 December and we expect to get more updates now that the tiering has been announced. Of course, some venues will remain closed due to the challenges of operating in the current economic environment.

You can keep across reopening dates – and other ways of supporting cinemas throughout the crisis – in our comprehensive indie venue A – Z.

Stay safe & see you in darkness again soon…

Richard

Barker-In-Chief // RADIANT CIRCUS  

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*THE SMALL PRINT: Opinions author’s own. As accurate as we could make it. Apologies for any errors. Updates & corrections will be made to the online version only. Event dates/times are subject to change by the venue/organiser. We try to only list events you can book for at the time of posting: however, some events may still be sold out. Please click quickly! // We don’t filter by age/certification: all readers & subscribers should be 18+. // > Remember, always try to follow The Carny Code by “not screwing up anyone else’s game” //.