UK government to scrap ‘Plan B’ restrictions

The UK government has reached a final decision in their plans to scrap Plan B. The initiative, which was put in place after ‘Freedom Day’ in July last year, made it required by law to provide proof of vaccination or a negative lateral flow test in order to enter nightclubs, live music venues and other gatherings. Despite the recent surge of the Omicron variant, the UK has decided to officially stop Plan B protocol later this month. This news comes according to a government official speaking to The Telegraph. This follows the recent announcement that Prime Minister Boris Johnson was considering scrapping free lateral flow testing at venues, a choice that was immediately met with backlash from artists and industry professionals.

Back in July when Plan B was initially proposed, it was met was criticism from the country’s nightlife industry. CEO of the Nigh Time Industry Association, Michael Kill told NME earlier this year that he was concerned about the implementation of Plan B  “due to the many logistical challenges they pose for night time economy businesses.”

Following the Omicron surge, nightlife in the UK has once again seen a drastic decline. Venues in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland have been temporarily shut down. In Scotland, venues have been closed for three weeks, losing out on the usually busy festive period. Restrictions for these countries are set to be lifted next week on January 24th. England meanwhile, opted to keep their venues open though many nightlife workers have reported a sharp decline in attendance and business over the past month.