Pubs, bars and restaurants across much of western and central Scotland are reopening their doors after 11 council areas moved out of Level 4 coronavirus restrictions.
Venues can open between the hours of 6am and 6pm but are banned from serving alcohol.
Some two million Scots have been living under the Scottish Government’s toughest measures to curb the spread of Covid-19 since they came into effect on November 20.
Licenced premises are permitted to reopen on Saturday in the following local authority areas, which have moved down into Level 3: City of Glasgow, Renfrewshire, East Renfrewshire, East Dunbartonshire, West Dunbartonshire, North Lanarkshire, South Lanarkshire, East Ayrshire, South Ayrshire, Stirling and West Lothian.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said their temporary closure was necessary to ease the pressure on hospitals over the winter.
The easing of restrictions on the hospitality sector in the central belt comes as Scotland recorded another 39 deaths from coronavirus and 1,064 positive tests in the past 24 hours.
It brings the death toll under the measure of people who first tested positive within the previous 28 days to 4109.
Meanwhile, a ban on pubs and restaurants playing background music is also set to be lifted from Saturday.
Companies within the hospitality industry will be tasked with finding a suitable level of background sound that won’t lead to raised voices or people having to lean closer to hear one another.
The music restriction has been active since August.
The Scottish Government levels framework can be viewed here and at a glance below – including the level applied to each local authority area in Scotland:
Level zero
No local authority area in Scotland has been placed in level zero.
Socialising – Eight people from three households can meet indoors. Fifteen people from five households can meet outdoors.
Hospitality – Pubs, restaurants and cafes are open and can sell alcohol indoors and outdoors. Normal licensing times apply.
Accommodation – Hotels, B&Bs and self-catering accommodation such as caravans and campsites are permitted to open.
Travel – No non-essential travel to/from areas of Scotland that are in level three or higher. International quarantine regulations apply.
Transport – Avoid car sharing with people outside extended household wherever possible. Face masks on public transport.
Retail and close contact services – Shops and close contact services – such as hairdressers, barbers, tailors and beauticians – are open.
Public buildings – Buildings such as libraries and museums are open.
Stadia and events – Outdoor events are permitted and spectators allowed in football stadiums with restricted numbers. Indoor events can go ahead with restricted numbers.
Weddings, civil partnerships and funerals – All allowed but with a 50 person limit.
Places of worship – Open but restricted to 50 people.
Leisure and Entertainment – Open with the exception of adult entertainment and nightclubs.
Workplaces – Open but working from home is the default option.
Schools – Open with standard protective measures in place.
Level one
Dumfries and Galloway, Scottish Borders, Highlands, Moray, Orkney, Shetland and Western Isles
Socialising – People cannot socialise indoors with another household for now. Level one will in time allow for six people from two households to meet indoors and outdoors. You can meet another household indoors in a public place such as a cafe or restaurant.
Six people from two households can meet indoors in Orkney, Shetland, the Western Isles and other inhabited islands in level one areas except those, such as Skye, which are connected to the mainland by road.
Hospitality – Pubs, restaurants and cafes are open and can sell alcohol indoors and outdoors. Curfew of 10.30pm, last entry at 9.30pm.
Accommodation – Hotels, B&Bs and self-catering accommodation such as caravans and campsites are permitted to open.
Travel – No non-essential travel to/from areas of Scotland that are in level three or higher. International quarantine regulations apply.
Transport – Avoid car sharing with people outside extended household wherever possible. Face masks on public transport.
Retail and close contact services – Shops and close contact services – such as hairdressers, barbers, tailors and beauticians – are open.
Public buildings – Buildings such as libraries and museums are open.
Stadia and events – Outdoor events are permitted and spectators allowed in football stadiums with restricted numbers. Indoor events can go ahead with restricted numbers.
Weddings, civil partnerships and funerals – All allowed but with a 20 person limit.
Places of worship – Open but restricted to 50 people.
Leisure and Entertainment – Open with the exception of adult entertainment and nightclubs.
Workplaces – Open but working from home is the default option.
Schools – Open with standard protective measures in place.
Level two
Inverclyde, Falkirk, Angus, Aberdeen City, Aberdeenshire, Argyll and Bute and East Lothian
Socialising – People cannot socialise indoors with another household. Six people from two households can meet outdoors and in hospitality settings.
Hospitality – Pubs, restaurants and cafes are open. Alcohol can only be sold with a main meal indoors – curfew of 8pm, last entry 7pm. Alcohol can be sold outdoors – curfew of 10.30pm, last entry 9.30pm.
Accommodation – Hotels, B&Bs and self-catering accommodation such as caravans and campsites are permitted to open. Level two hospitality rules apply.
Travel – No non-essential travel to/from areas of Scotland that are in level three or higher. International quarantine regulations apply.
Transport – Avoid car sharing with people outside extended household wherever possible. Face masks on public transport.
Retail and close contact services – Shops and close contact services – such as hairdressers, barbers, tailors and beauticians – are open. Mobile hairdressing and barbering can continue. All other mobile close contact services will not be able to operate.
Public buildings – Buildings such as libraries and museums are open with protective measures in place.
Stadia and events – Only drive-in events permitted. Stadiums closed to spectators.
Weddings, civil partnerships and funerals – All allowed but with a 20 person limit.
Places of worship – Open but restricted to 50 people.
Leisure and Entertainment – Cinemas and amusement arcades can open. The following venues must close: soft play, funfairs, indoor bowling, theatres, snooker/pool halls, music venues, casinos, bingo halls, nightclubs and adult entertainment
Workplaces – Open but working from home is the default option.
Schools – Open with standard protective measures in place.
Level three
Glasgow, East Dunbartonshire, North Lanarkshire, South Lanarkshire, Renfrewshire, East Renfrewshire, West Dunbartonshire, East Ayrshire, North Ayrshire, Stirling, West Lothian, Clackmannanshire, Dundee, Edinburgh, Fife, Midlothian, Perth and Kinross and South Ayrshire
Socialising – People cannot socialise indoors. Six people from two households can meet outdoors and in hospitality settings.
Hospitality – Pubs, restaurants and cafes are all allowed to open but cannot sell alcohol indoors or outdoors. Curfew of 6pm, last entry 5pm.
Accommodation – Hotels, B&Bs and self-catering accommodation such as caravans and campsites are permitted to open. The guidance encourages non-essential use by locals only – not for tourists.
Travel – No non-essential travel into or out of level three areas. International quarantine regulations apply.
Transport – Avoid car sharing with people outside extended household wherever possible. Avoid non-essential use of public transport. Face coverings compulsory.
Retail and close contact services – Shops and close contact services – such as hairdressers, barbers, tailors and beauticians – are open but may be subject to additional measures. Mobile hairdressing and barbering can continue. All other mobile close contact services will not be able to operate.
Public buildings – Buildings such as libraries and museums are open with protective measures in place.
Stadia and events – No indoor or outdoor events permitted. Stadiums closed to spectators.
Weddings, civil partnerships and funerals – All allowed but with a 20 person limit.
Places of worship – Open but restricted to 50 people.
Leisure and Entertainment – All venues, including cinemas and theatres, closed.
Workplaces – Open but working from home is the default option.
Schools – Open with standard protective measures in place.
Level four
No local authority area in Scotland will be in level four as of Friday, December 11
Socialising – People cannot socialise indoors. Six people from two households can meet outdoors.
Hospitality – Pubs, restaurants and cafes must close.
Accommodation – Hotels, B&Bs and self-catering accommodation not open for tourists. Work-related essential use only.
Travel – No non-essential travel into or out of the level four area. If necessary, limits on travel distance, or a requirement to stay at home.
Transport – Avoid car sharing with people outside extended household wherever possible. No use of public transport, except for essential purposes. Face coverings compulsory
Retail and close contact services – Non-essential shops and close contact services – such as hairdressers, barbers, tailors and beauticians – must close. Mobile close contact services not permitted
Public buildings – Buildings such as libraries and museums are closed.
Stadia and events – No indoor or outdoor events permitted. Stadiums closed to spectators.
Weddings, civil partnerships and funerals – A maximum of five people allowed at weddings (six where an interpreter is required). Funerals and wakes subject to 20 person limit.
Places of worship – Open but restricted to 20 people.
Leisure and Entertainment – All venues closed – including cinemas, theatres and gyms.
Workplaces – Only essential indoor workplaces can open along with outdoor workplaces in sectors such as construction and engineering.
Schools – Open with standard protective measures in place.
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