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Updated on Monday 24 May 2021
We all have a role to play in stopping the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19):
Visit nidirect's website (link opens in new window) for information on the restrictions.
Click the + symbol to read the updates.
Venues and services information
Sports pitches, pavilions and facilities
Our sports pitches and bowling greens are open to allow squad training and competitive outdoor sports to take place.
No spectators are allowed and numbers (including officials, participants, management and support personnel) should be restricted to the minimum number required for the delivery of the event and should not exceed 100.
Pavilions and changing rooms will be opened to provide access to essential toilet facilities only. Individual toilet facilities will open, subject to the completion of water testing and Legionella compliance.
Multi use games areas (MUGAs) are open. Up to 10 people (including children of all ages) from a maximum of two households are allowed to take part in outdoor exercise or sports activities. We encourage everyone to adhere to public health guidance when visiting our facilities and follow social distancing rules.
The Cycling Track at Orangefield is open.
Our outdoor gyms, tennis courts and Bridges Urban Sports Park are open to the public.
Mary Peters Track is also open to the public. Visitors must book before attending.
City of Belfast Golf Course and Ormeau Golf Course are open to club members only.
Leisure centres
Our Better leisure centres are open except Belvoir Activity Centre and Loughside Recreation Centre. These remain closed until further notice.
Belfast Zoo
Belfast Zoo is open to the public. You can contact Belfast Zoo (link opens in new window) by email info@belfastzoo.co.uk or call 028 9077 6277.
St George's Market
St George’s Market is open.
Smithfield Market
Smithfield Market is open.
Community centres
Our community centres are open for childcare, anchor tenants' urgent access and bookings for essential services.
Closures include:
Belfast Castle and Malone House
Malone House (link opens in new window) and Belfast Castle (link opens in new window) are closed to the public.
You can contact Belfast Castle by email bcr@belfastcastle.co.uk or Malone House by email mhreception@malonehouse.co.uk to discuss any current or future bookings.
City Hall
More venues
Parks
Our parks are open. But it is important that everyone observes social distancing in our parks.
Events
Visit our events page for updates.
Cemeteries
Burials and cremations
Burials and cremations are taking place, however there are restrictions in place. The number of people allowed to attend burial and cremation committal services has changed and will be based on risk assessment. We have also refreshed our site risk assessments to ensure social distancing is maintained.
The chapel and facilities at City of Belfast Crematorium are closed to the public. A brief service or eulogy may be held outside the Crematorium building.
Currently there are restrictions on marriage and civil partnership ceremonies.
We have allocated two rooms in City Hall to accommodate couples who are having ceremonies while still maintaining social distancing.
Some of our Environmental Health Services are suspended, but you can use our email addresses for any urgent queries. We will monitor these during office hours and deal with queries on a priority basis. We are unable to carry out visits to premises, unless it is an emergency, and will always consider the safety of staff and members of the public.
For our dog warden service, email dogwardens@belfastcity.gov.uk or for animal welfare, email animalwelfare@belfastcity.gov.uk
For port health, email porthealth@belfastcity.gov.uk (or you can call 028 9035 1199)
For Houses in Multiple Occupation, email nihmo@belfastcity.gov.uk
For other urgent queries including:
email envhealth@belfastcity.gov.uk. For emergencies outside normal working hours, call 07850 499622.
Pest control
Our pest control service is operating on a limited basis. Read more about our pest control service
Building Control inspections, licences and permits
You can:
Planning Service
Find out more information about changes to waste services and what to do with coronavirus waste
Our recycling centres are open seven days a week.
Business advice and support
We offer free, confidential support and guidance to businesses on how to keep staff and customers safe. Call our advice line on 028 9027 0565 from 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday, to speak to an adviser. You can also email covid19businessadvice@belfastcity.gov.uk and an adviser will respond within one working day.
Hospitality businesses can contact us by email at hospitalitysectorrecovery@belfastcity.gov.uk with queries about licensing and measures to help the business function in a viable way.
You can find information on how to access support that is available to businesses and employees by visiting the nibusinessinfo website (link opens in new window).
For guidance on maintaining drinking water quality following temporary closure of premises, visit the DAERA website. (link opens in new window).
For advice and information on safe reopening of close contact services, go to:
Retail businesses and shops in Belfast can apply to our COVID Aware Scheme. To complete self-assessment online for your retail business, go to COVID Aware Scheme.
Coronavirus business closures
During coronavirus (COVID-19), by law certain types of services, businesses and shops must close their premises to the public. We’re responsible for enforcing closures and restrictions for shops and businesses, which do not need a licence to operate. The police enforce closures of licensed premises.
Premises we can inspect
Our environmental health officers can investigate complaints about health and safety in:
We can inspect and enforce health and safety law in these premises. If you’re concerned about health and safety, including social distancing in these premises, you can contact us by email: envhealth@belfastcity.gov.uk
Reporting concerns about social distancing in the workplace
If you’re concerned about unsafe work practices in workplaces such as manufacturing and construction, you should contact the Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland. They can investigate complaints that social distancing advice is not being followed.
To find lists of businesses which are subject to restrictions, go to:
If your business can continue to operate, you must follow workplace safety guidelines and social distancing (link opens in new window) to protect the safety and health of everyone in your workplace, including your customers and others visiting the premises.
Businesses must review their risk assessments and put in place measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19. The Public Health Agency (PHA) guidance (link opens in new window) should be considered as part of the risk assessment. An example of a COVID-19 risk assessment is available on the Health and Safety Executive NI Website (link opens in new window).
Detailed guidance and advice for businesses
Check trusted sources for information:
Guidance from the Public Health Agency (PHA) (link opens in new window)
Guidance for employees, employers and businesses (GOV.UK) (link opens in new window)
Advice on safety measures in the workplace (HSENI) (link opens in new window)
Guidelines for food businesses (GOV.UK) (link opens in new window)
Food delivery and takeaway guidance (CIEH) (link opens in new window)
Sources of guidance and support on the impact of COVID-19 (NI Assembly) (link opens in new window)
Guidance for employers and businesses on managing Legionella. (link opens in new window)
Complaining about social distancing
Depending on the type of business, if you're concerned about social distancing in business premises, you should contact us by emailing envhealth@belfastcity.gov.uk or the Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland (HSENI) by emailing mail@hseni.gov.uk or calling 0800 0320 121.
Reporting concerns about unsafe workplaces
If you are a member of public concerned about unsafe work practices in a shop, an office or a warehouse, you can contact us by emailing envhealth@belfastcity.gov.uk.
Concerns about unsafe work practices in other types of workplaces such as manufacturing and construction sites should be reported to the Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland by emailing mail@hseni.gov.uk.
Complaining about pavement cafés
If you are concerned that a pavement café in Belfast is causing an obstruction or access difficulties, you can contact us by email pavementcafes@belfastcity.gov.uk or call 028 9027 0650.
Complaining about queues outside businesses
If you are concerned about queues outside shops, restaurants, bars or shopping centres that are not properly managed or lack social distancing, we can investigate under the Coronavirus Regulations. You can contact us by calling 028 9027 0428 or by email envhealth@belfastcity.gov.uk.
As part of the government response to COVID-19, the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy is seeking UK businesses and organisations to design, manufacture or supply ventilators and ventilator components, and those who have, or provide, medical training or logistics capabilities.
If your business or organisation can help, find out more and register (link opens in new window)
Enforcement and regulation
Our staff have been working with businesses and providing guidance around compliance, as well as operating a dedicated helpline for businesses during the COVID-19 global pandemic.
We are jointly responsible for enforcing the regulations with the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI).
Officers from our compliance team visit businesses and investigate complaints to ensure compliance with the Coronavirus (COVID) regulations.
Our primary aim is to encourage businesses to comply with the regulations but if necessary, and in the interests of public health and safety, our officers will use the full range of enforcement powers available to them in line with our enforcement and regulation policy.
Under the COVID regulations, inspectors can take enforcement action in the form of a fixed penalty notice, a prohibition notice and/or a premises improvement notice.
Further information on the requirements of the Coronavirus regulations can be found at www.nidirect.gov.uk (link opens in new window).
If you are concerned about a business that may not be complying with the Coronavirus regulations you can contact us by email envhealth@belfastcity.gov.uk.
Advice and support for residents
We are working with community, voluntary and statutory providers in Belfast to make sure that our residents’ needs are supported throughout the pandemic.
We are advising animal owners to make sure their pets are kept under control during coronavirus (COVID-19). This can help to keep members of the public safe, and allow social distancing guidance to be followed.
We ask that dogs are kept on a lead when out in public, and for dog owners to check their pets are secure when they are at home to minimise the risk of straying.
We still need to be on our guard against COVID-19, but the longer evenings and warmer temperatures give us hope for better days ahead. So, this spring, we’re using our social media channels to spread #AWeeBitOfHope.
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