Trick-or-treating ‘banned’ in Greater Manchester with parents facing £200 fines

Halloween traditions will be very different this year, and trick or treating is set to be banned in local lockdown areas, including Greater Manchester.

Boris Johnson’s deputy spokesperson has said the ‘rules are clear’ in terms of households mixing in different areas, and in places where local rules are not in place, children will be included in the ‘rule of six’ for maximum group size. 

However, there is some confusion as to whether this includes the people answering the door.

Meeting in groups of more than six indoors or outdoors is currently against the law and can land you with a hefty £200 fine if caught breaking the rules. This will double each additional breach up to a maximum of £6,400.

Asked about Halloween, the Prime Minister’s deputy spokesperson said: “The Rule of Six is clear, it includes children. We are asking people not to meet in groups of six or more.

“In local lockdown areas, we have been very clear that households should not mix. In other areas not in lockdown the Rule of Six applies.

“It is correct, parents will be fined if children meet in groups of more than six children.”

The Department for Health and Social Care has now confirmed that trick or treating in areas where household mixing is not allowed, like Greater Manchester, will be banned.

In parts of England not in local lockdown, one parent could potentially take up to four kids out, as long as no more than one person answers the door to bring the total number of people over six.

The BBC spoke to Dr Chris Smith, a virologist at the University of Cambridge, who said: “If you’re doing something that increases your contact with other people then you are automatically increasing their risk and your risk.” 

He added: “Because it’s Halloween I’d say people are quite likely to be wearing a mask anyway so if they can make a face-covering work it’s way into their costume then even better.”

To reduce the risk of spread on the sweets he recommends individually wrapped sweets and to leave them outside, or even leaving individual bags of sweets tied to fences or trees. 

The BBC recommends five alternatives to trick or treating:

1. Organise a Halloween treasure hunt within your own household
2. Host a virtual party with themed games and music
3. Watch a scary movie with the family
4. Decorate your own house and organise a spooky trail, avoiding face-to-face contact
5. Try reverse trick or treating by dropping off pre-packed sweets on neighbours’ doorsteps

A group of families in Marble have created an online map of houses that will be decorated, making a Halloween trail for families.

Organiser Aurelie said: “I think this year people are even more keen to get involved because of the circumstances, I feel like this winter could be very grim if we don’t do something to break it up.

“Something like this really lifts the spirits.”