Social events by permitted enterprises or permitted enterprise workers
13F.—(1) A permitted enterprise must not —
(a)
cause an event involving an organised gathering in person of its permitted enterprise workers to take place in any room or place on its permitted premises or elsewhere; or
(b)
allow a gathering in person of its permitted enterprise workers to take place in any room or place on its permitted premises,
for an occasion or a purpose that is wholly recreational or social in character unless the permitted enterprise takes all reasonably practicable steps to ensure that the requirements in paragraph (2) and paragraphs (3) and (4), where applicable, are met.
(2) For a gathering mentioned in paragraph (1) in a room or place within the permitted premises of a permitted enterprise or elsewhere, the requirements are as follows:
(a)
not more than 5 individuals (called in this regulation a participant), some or all of whom are permitted enterprise workers, may be present in connection with the gathering in the room or place;
(b)
the following must not be engaged in or provided by any one in the room or place where the event takes place or is to take place:
(i)
singing;
(ii)
playing of a wind musical instrument;
(c)
no verbal exhortations of goodwill or honour or about any other matter (whether or not auspicious or propitious), accompanied by a ritual (like toasting) in which a drink or any food is offered, taken or handled, are made during the gathering;
(d)
every participant of that gathering may but need not have a cleared status.
(3) However, where any defined activity is or is to be engaged in during the gathering mentioned in paragraph (1) in a room or place within the permitted premises of a permitted enterprise, the following additional requirements must be met:
(a)
there is a distance of at least one metre between any participant of the gathering and any other participant of the gathering or other individual in the same room or place;
(b)
where any food or drink is or is to be consumed in the room or place in connection with the gathering —
(i)
the food or drink must not be served or consumed in the room or place when a live performance takes place in the room or place;
(ii)
the food or drink must be served in connection with the event only in individual servings, and in no other way;
(iii)
the food or drink must be consumed in connection with the event only when all participants are and remain seated; and
(iv)
any music, lecture, talk or address or any other content (whether or not pre-recorded) must not be played or provided in a manner which is likely to be audible to individuals in or around the room or place, when the food or drink is being served or consumed in the room or place in connection with the gathering.
(4) In addition to paragraph (3), where any defined activity is or is to be engaged in during the gathering mentioned in paragraph (1) in a room or place within the permitted premises of a permitted enterprise, and any participant of the gathering —
(a)
is not a permitted enterprise worker of the permitted enterprise concerned; or
(b)
is a permitted enterprise worker who does not regularly deliver goods or perform services connected to the business, undertaking or work of the permitted enterprise,
then despite anything in paragraph (2)(d), every participant of that gathering must have a cleared status, or there must not be more than one uncleared junior among the participants of the gathering if not from the same household.
(5) To avoid doubt, paragraph (2) and paragraphs (3) and (4), where applicable, apply in respect of a gathering mentioned in paragraph (1) that takes place or is to take place in a room or place which is or is within any permitted premises of the permitted enterprise concerned that —
(a)
is —
(i)
a retail food and drinks establishment, such as a canteen;
(ii)
an indoor recreational facility; or
(iii)
premises at which is provided any personal appearance service or personal care service that requires taking off, or not wearing, one’s mask in order to receive the service; and
(b)
is ordinarily provided (apart from the gathering) by or on behalf of the permitted enterprise solely for use by permitted enterprise workers of the permitted enterprise —
(i)
who are employees of the permitted enterprise; or
(ii)
who regularly deliver goods or perform services connected to the business, undertaking or work of the permitted enterprise,
in addition to any requirements in regulations 10B and 13E and the First Schedule, except that paragraph 2(a) of Part 3 and paragraph 1(1)(a) or 4(a) (as the case may be) of Part 4 of the First Schedule are disapplied.