It appears there is a loophole which may exempt working lunches from restrictions banning households from mixing indoors.
While the official government guidance for tiers two and three prohibits households mixing anywhere inside, meeting for work may be counted as an exception.
The relevant gov.uk webpage reads:
- "Venues following COVID-secure guidance can host more people in total, but no one must mix indoors with anyone who they do not live with (or have formed a support bubble with) unless exemptions apply."
It clarifies that this includes pubs, restaurants, leisure and entertainment venues. However, the same page reads:
- "There is no limit to the group size when you are meeting or gathering for work purposes, but workplaces should be set up to meet the COVID-secure guidelines."
A bar or restaurant will not count as a workplace for those who are not employed by it. However, there is an argument that individuals from different households may meet in a restaurant for the purposes of work. On the the legislation.gov.uk website, which details the legislation in relation to tiers two and three, it reads:
- "Exception 3 is that the gathering is reasonably necessary— (a)for work purposes or for the provision of voluntary or charitable services."
One unanswered question, which chefs and others have been vocal in asking an answer for, is what counts as a working lunch.
Though the government has advised people work from home where possible, the loophole may facilitate those working lunches which are deemed unavoidable. A report in the Telegraph cites a Downing Street spokesman as saying: "people are permitted to meet indoors for work purposes in high or very high areas." In a sign of the confusion surrounding the news, though, City AM reported that one Westminster Council source thought it "unlikely the council would allow this."
On Twitter, UKHospitality chief executive said there'd be no clarification on whether or not such lunches would be allowed. "We know that it is ok to have a business meeting of up to 30 and to allow mixed household meeting for work purposes. [the] Question is over location and degree of formality."
If the loophole is not closed, it could provide a lifeline for restaurants struggling to survive with reduced capacity, under curfew and now within the tier two guidelines. At present, the majority of UK restaurants are trading at somewhere between 40 and 50 per cent of their normal revenue levels, which makes them economically unviable. Permanent closures are expected soon; those that do will join the 25,000 venues who have closed in 2020 so far.
