Welcome back to Brighton & Hove!

As lockdown lifts and businesses re-open, Brighton & Hove will be welcoming back visitors in the run up to Christmas.

We know that this year has been tough for many businesses in our city, who are reliant on the tourism to thrive.

Keeping safe

Business owners in the city are doing everything they can to ensure their premises are Covid secure and are appealing to visitors to play their part and keep the city safe.

Councillor Marianna Ebel, joint chair of the Tourism, Equalities, Communities & Culture Committee said: “As a major tourist and shopping destination we welcome all  visiting our vibrant city.

“However, we are urging everyone to follow government guidance and the rules on social distancing and face coverings, particularly in shops, hotels, restaurants, cafes and bars.

Since the start of the epidemic, we’ve been working hard with residents, businesses and communities in Brighton & Hove to tackle Covid in the city. Our rate is currently low and we want to keep it that way.”

Spending time outdoors

Brighton & Hove, along with the rest of Sussex, is currently in Tier 2 which means no indoor household mixing – this includes hotels, restaurants, pubs and bars.

Councillor Ebel added: “There are plenty of ways to enjoy spending time in outdoors in Brighton & Hove - a walk on the seafront, a visit to one of our parks, or a socially distanced activity.” .

Check out the Visit Brighton website for information on Covid safe events.”

Tier 2 rules

To keep your family and friends safe, here’s a reminder of the Tier 2 rules:

  • You can't socialise indoors with anyone you do not live with or who is not in your support bubble
  • You can meet in a group of up to six outside - including in a garden or a public place
  • Shops, gyms and personal care services (such as hairdressing) can reopen if they are Covid-secure
  • Pubs and bars can only open if they serve substantial meals - alcohol can be served with that meal
  • Sports can resume with up to 2,000 spectators, or 50% capacity, whichever is smaller
  • Collective worship, weddings and outdoor sports can resume with restrictions
  • Non-essential foreign travel is allowed subject to quarantine rules.

Christmas rules

Residents are also being encouraged to take extra care over the Christmas period, and be aware of the risks associated with larger family gatherings.

The rules for Christmas are:

Between 23 and 27 December:

  • You can form an exclusive ‘Christmas bubble’ composed of people from no more than three households
  • You can only be in one Christmas bubble
  • You cannot change your Christmas bubble
  • You can travel between tiers and UK nations for the purposes of meeting your Christmas bubble
  • You can only meet your Christmas bubble in private homes or in your garden, places of worship, or public outdoor spaces
  • You can continue to meet people who are not in your Christmas bubble outside your home according to the rules in the tier you are meeting in
  • If you form a Christmas bubble, you should not meet socially with friends and family that you do not live with in your home or garden unless they are part of your Christmas bubble

You should travel to meet those in your Christmas bubble and return home between 23 and 27 December.

Anyone travelling to or from Northern Ireland can travel on 22 and 28 December.

Forming a bubble if you are vulnerable or clinically extremely vulnerable carries additional risks - see advice for clinically vulnerable people.

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