Plan B restrictions expected to be scrapped in England

According to a senior government source, all Plan B COVID restrictions in England will be lifted later this month - including COVID passports.

Boris Johnson is expected to relax current restrictions Plan B - including the need to show proof of vaccination or a negative test when visiting nightclubs or indoor venues with over 500 people.

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COVID passports and work-from-home instructions are anticipated to be removed for England on January 26th, according to The Telegraph, while advice on face mask-wearing could remain.

“There frankly doesn’t seem to be any other expectation at the moment,” a government source said on the expected ending of restrictions.

According to The Evening Standard, the government is also considering discontinuing free lateral flow tests for the vast majority of people.

The nightlife and music industries have been critical of the introduction of COVID passes.

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According to NME, Michael Kill of the NTIA said: “We are disappointed that MPs have today voted in to law COVID passports for nightclubs. The NTIA have consistently opposed their introduction due to the many logistical challenges they pose for night time economy businesses.”

Last month the rise in COVID cases and the added restrictions saw the live music industry take a big hit- as ticket sales for NYE events saw a dramatic decline due to COVID uncertainty.

Across the UK last month Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland saw their nightlife get temporarily shut down - with England being the only country in the UK with nightlife venues open during the new year period.

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The Music Venue Trust (MVT) discovered a "catastrophic" decrease in attendance, advance ticket sales, and spending per person at grassroots music venues following the adoption of Plan B restrictions.

Speaking to NME, Mark Davyd of the (MVT) explained how its Reopen Every Venue Safely programme is "built on key elements of risk mitigation that build together to create spaces that are as safe as they can be. A core element of that is a testing programme that is freely available to everyone”.

“Our #TakeATest campaign has been hugely successful in allowing the live music community to play its part in the Reopen Every Venue Safely programme. We therefore urge, in the strongest possible terms, the government to keep free tests available and open to everyone,” he said.

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Aneesa Ahmed is Mixmag's Digital Intern, follow her on Twitter