Hospitality venues in Aberdeen can open from Wednesday subject to checks

Hospitality businesses in Aberdeen will be allowed to open from Wednesday, subject to passing compliance checks.

Restrictions on other sectors will be lifted from midnight today (Monday 24 August), but hospitality has been delayed for two further days and made subject to checks by environmental health teams.

First minister Nicola Sturgeon said: "I am grateful to people in Aberdeen – the local authority and health board, local businesses, and everyone who lives there – for complying so well with the rules that were put in place to prevent the spread of Covid-19. In particular I am grateful for the understanding of the businesses that were required to close in order to help beat the virus."

Susan Webb, director of public health for NHS Grampian, added: "We must be cautious to ensure the progress we have made is maintained. Crucially, we must all be observing physical distancing from those not in our immediate household; whether at work, meeting socially, in a supermarket or out for exercise and recreation. It is also vitally important that anyone identified as a close contact of a detected case follows the guidance on isolating for 14 days."

Restaurants in Aberdeen had been told to close on 5 August following a spike in Covid-19 cases in the city.

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