Live music will resume in Northern Ireland from July 5
Outdoor events will no longer have capacity limits as of today
Ministers in Northern Ireland have backed the return of live music both indoors and outdoors from July 5, according to the BBC.
From 5:PM today, loosened restrictions will allow for outdoor events to go ahead without a cap on capacity, and no limits to levels of volume.
Monday, July 5, will see the return of indoor events which can go ahead at ‘an ambient sound level only’. The BBC reported that musicians will have a screen between them and the audience whilst performing.
The relaxation was pushed by ministers amidst the ongoing rise in infection rates. Reportedly, the new Delta variant now makes up for three-quarters of the COVID cases in Northern Ireland.
Read this next: End of lockdown could be brought forward to July 5 by new health secretary
Despite this, only 326 new cases were reported in Northern Ireland yesterday, compared to the 22,000 new infections in England on July 1.
“We will continue to monitor the situation closely. We will have a particular focus on the hospitalisations resulting from the increase in cases and the potential pressure on our health service,” said the Northern Ireland Executive.
More households will also be able to meet in private gardens as of today, increasing from the previous number of three to five. The maximum number of people remains at 15.
Read this next: A protest without politics? We went to London's Save Our Scene march
The Communities Minister Deirdre Hargey pushed for the return of live music, stating: “I have been advocating for a relaxation of these restrictions as soon as is safely possible.”
“The hospitality and arts sectors have been severely impacted by the effects of this pandemic and these relaxations in the regulations will ease some of that burden in a measured, safe and sustainable way” she said.
As Northern Ireland begins to resume life as we knew it, gigs and festivals are now going ahead safely in the province. Limavady’s Stendhal Festival, which normally hosts 10,000 people annually, is due to go ahead next weekend.
[Via BBC]
Gemma Ross is Mixmag's Digital Intern, follow her on Twitter