Another coronavirus rule change is coming this Friday

There’s another new coronavirus rule coming into place this Friday, which will affect restaurants, pubs and other hospitality and close-contact services.

From Friday, hospitality venues and other close contact services will see a new coronavirus rule in place.

The rule, part of the new ‘rule of six’, will stop anyone ‘mingling’ or ‘socialising’ in groups of more than six.

Venues will also have to take contact details for people who are eating or drinking in, opposed to the voluntary process that has been in place since the hospitality industry reopened. 

Businesses will be required to keep the information for 21 days and pass it on to NHS Test and Trace when asked to do so.

They can also refuse entry to those who do not provide details, which is usually a name and phone number. 

Business Secretary Alok Sharma said: “Each and every one of us needs to play our part to control the virus and avoid a second deadly peak.

“While the vast majority of businesses have done an incredible job by following the guidance to keep customers safe, we are now making it the law for certain establishments to collect life-saving NHS Test and Trace data and to keep this on record for 21 days.

“We need to take these tough measures now to reduce the risk of local lockdowns in the future. If we don’t all pull together to drive this virus down, businesses will need to close and people’s jobs will be put at serious risk.”