Social distancing in bars and restaurants is to be halved to just one metre under proposed new regulations for the hospitality industry, it has been reported this morning.
The new rules will be a major boost for the sector, with businesses able to welcome more customers into their premises when Covid-19 restrictions are eased in five weeks.
Under the regulations, which will apply to indoor and outdoor dining, there also will be no restrictions on how long people can stay in a restaurant or pub.
The controversial requirement for people to spend €9 on a meal is also being dropped to allow pubs that do not serve food reopen at the beginning of July.
When indoor dining resumes, businesses will have to have dedicated entrances and exits, and only table service will be permitted. A maximum of six customers per table will be permitted under regulations to be issued by Fáilte Ireland.
A new State support that will allow traditional pubs to prepare for outdoor dining is also expected to be announced.
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