Hampshire businesses could hold working lunches in the pub

If county goes into a higher risk category, working pub lunch meetings may still be possible.

Large areas of Southern England, including Hampshire are in the lowest ‘tier 1’ category of risk at the moment. The worst of the second Coronavirus wave has avoided this area, so far. This means bars and pubs are open until 10pm.

A report in The Daily Telegraph today (20 October) suggests that meeting in a bar for work purposes might be allowed even in elevated tier 2 and 3 areas. This includes London and a small area of Surrey at the moment.

Meetings in pubs and bars in tier 2 and 3 areas is not allowed. But sources in the government have suggested they might be permitted if the meetings are for ‘work purposes’.

A government spokesman said that while current guidance advises people to limit their social contact and work from home as much as possible, “people are permitted to meet indoors for work purposes in high or very high areas”.

The advantage of being in a low area at present is we can see how this plays out. Any business meeting would need to be in a bar or pub that was COVID secure and where adequate social distancing provision existed. It may be that this apparent loophole is closed before any review of Hampshire’s risk level is reviewed.

Read the original article here.