NI venues press Executive for full reopening date

Music and theatre venues are calling for Northern Ireland's Executive to end its one-metre social distancing rule.

The restriction has meant many venues are yet to reopen, with those hosting events saying they are not financially viable.

Northern Ireland is the only part of the UK without a full reopening date for indoor venues, or the ability to operate without capacity restrictions.

Stormont ministers are scheduled to meet on Thursday (23 September) to discuss further.

Concert promoter Joe Dougan said: "We urgently need our Executive to provide a full reopening date, remove social distancing requirements, and allow us to plan for the coming months. We are confident this can be done safely”.