Rule of six to be introduced in Welsh hospitality as first minister announces £120m support package

Hospitality venues in Wales will face tough restrictions from 26 December such as the return of the ‘rule of six' and mandatory face coverings in a bid to prevent the spread of the Omicron variant of coronavirus.

Licensed premises will have to offer table service only and collect customer contract tracing details.

Face masks must be worn in hospitality unless people are seated and a two metre social distancing rule will return to public spaces.

Large events will be limited to 30 people indoors and 50 outdoors. The number of guests who can attend weddings, civil partnership ceremonies and funerals will be determined by the ability of the venue to manage social distancing - and all attendees will need to take lateral flow tests.

First minister Mark Drakeford said £120m will be made available for hospitality, nightclub, leisure and tourism business impacted by the change in restrictions. Further details of how the funding will be distributed will be announced on 23 December.

All measures will come into force from 6am on Boxing Day.

Drakeford said: "Wales will reopen after Christmas - but in order to do so safely, we have to do everything we can to go on protecting ourselves and taking care of others."

In a bid to minimise impact on businesses and essential services, fully-vaccinated close contacts of people who have coronavirus will no longer have to self-isolate, but will instead have to take a daily lateral flow test.

Drakeford said the measures would be reviewed regularly, adding: "We know that there will be brighter days ahead."

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