Covid: can people from Wales go to England New Year's Eve?

The Welsh Government says it is trying to keep Wales safe by introducing new curbs on hospitality, including table service only and the rule of six in pubs and restaurants.

Clubs have also been shut from Boxing Day, but in England, there are no new rules before the new year.

The current rules in England are for face masks to be worn in shops, on public transport and in places of worship, but not hospitality.

Large events and nightclubs must also ask for Covid passes, where either a negative test result or proof of double vaccination is shown.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has told everyone to do a Covid test before heading out this New Year's Eve. Picture: PA Wire

During a visit to a vaccination centre in Milton Keynes on Wednesday, Mr Johnson urged people to get tested before New Year’s Eve festivities.

He told reporters: “Everybody should enjoy New Year but in a cautious and sensible way – take a test, ventilation, think about others but, above all, get a booster.”

RELATED NEWS:

• Covid hotspots in Herefordshire as cases rise by 50 per cent
• Omicron variant threat sees new Nightingale hospital hubs for NHS England
• Omicron Covid: dozens more cases found in Herefordshire

Play Nightclub Hereford, in Blue School Street, said: “We are delighted to celebrate the new year with our guests, after what has been a challenging couple of years.

"To make sure it is a night to remember, we have a fantastic lineup including great music and entertainment.

"At the same time, guest safety is our main priority, with Covid passes on entry, quality ventilation with air changes every few minutes and heightened sanitisation throughout the venue.

"Our guests, who have already missed out on so much, are desperate to celebrate the end of 2021 in style and tickets are selling fast.”

Play Nightclub Hereford said tickets were selling fast for New Year's Eve. Picture: Cameron M-Hill Photography

The spokesperson did not say whether the club, owned by REKOM UK, was expecting to be busier due to people travelling across the border.

The Welsh Government, which decides Covid rules in Wales, advised people not to travel to areas of the UK with high Covid rates, but there were no travel rules in place.

"It is a sensible to avoid travelling to and from areas with higher incidence rates if you can," its website said.

"We are not introducing any legal restrictions on travel within the UK at this point but it is our clear advice that people should avoid travelling to areas with high prevalence of coronavirus if they can avoid it.

"There is an increased risk of contracting Covid-19, even if vaccinated, in those areas so you should avoid travelling to them if possible."

OTHER NEWS:

• Herefordshire pub vows to be back better than ever after devastating fire
• New home could be built at business on Herefordshire border to improve security
• Named: unlicensed drivers caught breaking the law on Herefordshire roads

Herefordshire does not currently have a particularly high Covid rate, with the latest figures showing it is below the Uk average.

In the seven days to December 24, the county's infection rate was 619.3 cases per 100,000 people – half the UK's figure of 1,238.6.

When asked about people from Wales travelling to places on the border to go clubbing on New Year's Eve, a Welsh Government spokesperson said: "The omicron variant is causing a rapid rise in coronavirus cases across Wales.

“Already, people are off work sick, putting essential services under strain and we expect this situation to get worse.

“Wales is at alert level two – new protections have been put into place to help businesses continue to trade and updated and strengthened guidance has been issued to help people stay safe in their homes.

“We all need to do everything we can to protect ourselves and keep Wales safe.”

First Minister Mark Drakeford speaks during a Welsh Government press conference in Cardiff setting out coronavirus restrictions for Wales. Picture: PA Wire

A Rule of Tum, based in Aubery Street, Hereford, said it was great news that there were no further Covid restrictions announced in England.

"We’re lucky to have a huge outside area with The Yard as well as running three different bars across the site to make sure that if people want to then they can have plenty of outside space."

Edwin and Dorian Kirk, who own Aubrey Street's A Rule of Tum

The spokesperson added: "We’ve not seen an influx of ticket sales since the announcement and have had a number of cancelations due to covid and people having to isolate all of which of course get full refunds on their tickets.

"Tickets are still on sale and will have some on the door on the night, we’re looking forward to the party and to bringing in the new year."

OTHER NEWS:

• Herefordshire town hunt celebrates 200th annual Boxing Day hunt
• Temporary parking ban for main road into Herefordshire town
• Warning over UK’s biggest outbreak of bird flu to date

Meanwhile, Conservative Brecon and Radnorshire MP Fay Jones said it was "welcome news" that there would be no further restrictions for England.

Brecon and Radnorshire MP Fay Jones said local businesses are concerned about restrictions

But she added: "I’ve been inundated with messages from worried businesses in Brecon and Radnorshire, particularly for those who have competitors across the border.

"We really must see the evidence for the decisions being made in Wales."

Chelly Jones, who runs the Stanton House Inn in Chirk, Wrexham, with her husband, said she has cancelled the live entertainment they had planned for New Year’s Eve because of the new rules.

Mrs Jones, whose pub is less than half a mile from the Wales/England border, told the PA news agency: “Christmas has been a disaster, we’ve never had a year like it.

“The week before Christmas, the new restrictions in Wales killed our profits. They kept us open, but shut us really. We’re a family-run pub so it’s very difficult at the moment.”

“It’s most definitely because of the different restrictions in England than in Wales,” she added.

“There’s a pub just across from us who are able to do whatever they want on New Year’s Eve. If people want to go party they only have to walk a mile up the road.”

Mrs Jones said people in Wales feel they are “fighting a losing battle” because punters crossing the border for celebrations could return with coronavirus, negating the efforts of people following restrictions.