The Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2020

Further restrictions and closures during the emergency period

4.—(1) A person responsible for carrying on a business, not listed in Part 3 of Schedule 2, of offering goods for sale or for hire in a shop, or providing library services must, during the emergency period—

(a) cease to carry on that business or provide that service except by making deliveries or otherwise providing services in response to orders received—

(i) through a website, or otherwise by on-line communication,

(ii) by telephone, including orders by text message, or

(iii) by post;

(b) close any premises which are not required to carry out its business or provide its services as permitted by sub-paragraph (a);

(c) cease to admit any person to its premises who is not required to carry on its business or provide its service as permitted by sub-paragraph (a).

(2) Paragraph (1) does not apply to any business which provides hot or cold food for consumption off the premises.

(3) Subject to paragraph (4), a person responsible for carrying on a business consisting of the provision of holiday accommodation, whether in a hotel, hostel, bed and breakfast accommodation, holiday apartment, home, cottage or bungalow, campsite, caravan park or boarding house, must cease to carry on that business during the emergency period.

(4) A person referred to in paragraph (3) may continue to carry on their business and keep any premises used in that business open—

(a) to provide accommodation for any person, who—

(i) is unable to return to their main residence;

(ii) uses that accommodation as their main residence;

(iii) needs accommodation while moving house;

(iv) needs accommodation to attend a funeral;

(b) to provide accommodation or support services for the homeless,

(c) to host blood donation sessions, or

(d) for any purpose requested by any Northern Ireland department, the Regional Agency, a health and social care trust or a district council.

(5) A person who is responsible for a place of worship must ensure that, during the emergency period, the place of worship is closed, except for uses permitted in paragraph (6).

(6) A place of worship may be used—

(a) for funerals,

(b) to broadcast an act of worship, whether over the internet or as part of a radio or television broadcast, or

(c) to provide essential voluntary services or urgent public support services (including the provision of food banks or other support for the homeless or vulnerable people, blood donation sessions or support in an emergency).

(7) A person who is responsible for a community centre must ensure that, during the emergency period, the community centre is closed except where it is used to provide essential voluntary activities or urgent public support services (including the provision of food banks or other support for the homeless or vulnerable people, blood donation sessions or support in an emergency).

(8) A person who is responsible for a crematorium or burial ground must ensure that, during the emergency period, the crematorium or burial ground is closed to members of the public, except for funerals or burials.

(9) If a business referred to in paragraph (1) or (3) (“business A”) forms part of a larger business (“business B”), the person responsible for carrying on business B complies with the requirement in paragraph (1) or (3) to cease to carry on its business if it ceases to carry on business A.