Soft play areas given indicative date to reopen, but no date for wet pubs to reopen

By PA Reporter

Deputy First Minister Michelle O’Neill said the Stormont Executive has agreed an indicative date of September 14 for the reopening of soft play areas.

However, no date has been agreed for the reopening of so-called wet pubs, serving alcohol without food.

The Executive is set to meet again next week around this.

Ms O’Neill said it had been a “very lengthy” Executive meeting discussing the current state of the pandemic.

“We’re at a very crucial point in terms of the Covid spread and we just have to be very mindful that everything we do now, what implications that would have,” she said.

“We’re making very limited announcements today in terms of easements, we’re giving an indicative date of September 14 for soft play areas.

“There needs to be a bit of work done around mitigation but at least it is an indicative date for that industry.

“In terms of the whole issue of pubs, something that has been quite topical of late, it is clear there is a lot more work to be done there.

💬 I know there has been concern around the safe reopening of pubs which are still closed.

The Executive will work with the sector to secure an opening date for wet pubs with restrictions to ensure the safety of both patrons and staff @moneillsf speaking to media today pic.twitter.com/OdBsOkcsVr

— Sinn Féin (@sinnfeinireland) September 3, 2020

“I think there is a lot of anomalies when it comes to places that serve food, places that don’t, this wet pub concept, so we need to work with the sector closely and let’s come back with very strong guidance next week that will hopefully allow us to give an indicative date for opening.

“I have to caveat that by saying there will be very strong mitigations in place, it will be very stringent in terms of the enforcement of all of that.”

Ms O’Neill added: “Finally, the Executive agreed to write to the Treasury in relation to the furlough scheme, because as we know we are going to hit our cliff edge very shortly.

The Executive has agreed to Finance Minister Conor Murphy’s request to write to the British Government requesting an extension to the furlough scheme.

We are committed to protecting workers and businesses in the North during this time of great economic uncertainty. pic.twitter.com/GK3TjnOZl1

— Michelle O’Neill (@moneillsf) September 3, 2020

“Thousands of people are going to be without employment and what we need as an Executive is to be able to support those people in what is going to be a very challenging winter.

“We’re rehearsing our argument to the Treasury that this Executive needs support to be able to support people and the furlough scheme is the way to do that.”