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Introduction
Updated: Friday 7 August 2020
Service updates and advice for businesses and residents during coronavirus (COVID-19).
Venues and services
- Recycling centres and civic amenity sites
- Bins and waste disposal
- Births, deaths, marriages, civil partnerships
- Cemeteries, cremations and burials
- Council services
- Venues and facilities
- Parks
- Events
- Building Control, licences and Planning Services
Support and advice for residents
Information for businesses and employees
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Venues and services
Recycling centres and civic amenity sites
Our recycling centres can now accept a wider range of materials and are open seven days a week. View the list of materials that we can accept.
Measures to protect staff and the public remain in place including:
Bins and waste disposal
Births, deaths, marriages and civil partnerships
Cemeteries, burials and cremations
Cemeteries
Burials and cremations
Burials are taking place. But there are restrictions on burial arrangements at our cemeteries.
The chapel and facilities at City of Belfast Crematorium remain closed.
From Monday 10 August we are no longer setting a maximum number of mourners that can gather at the graveside or outside the crematorium.
Council services
While Environmental Health Services have been suspended, you can use the following 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
- Find out more about dog control and animal welfare's limited service
For port health, email porthealth@belfastcity.gov.uk (or you can phone 028 9035 1199)
For Houses in Multiple Occupation, email nihmo@belfastcity.gov.uk
For other urgent queries including:
- food safety
- health and safety
- pollution control
- noise
- off street parking
- public health
- housing
email envhealth@belfastcity.gov.uk. For emergencies outside normal working hours, phone 07850 499622.
Pest control
We have temporarily suspended our pest control service and no appointments will be taken at this time. We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause.
Abandoned vehicles
We have suspended the abandoned vehicles service.
Venues and facilities
Many of our venues and facilities are closed.
Closures include:
Other closures
- Belfast Castle
- Malone House
- Tropical Ravine and Palm House
- Pavilions - pitches are reopen. Pavilions remain closed.
- Community centres
- Leisure centres - reopened on 14 July
- ICC Belfast (Waterfront)
- Ulster Hall
- Cecil Ward Building including Consumer Advice Services, Belfast Planning Service and Bereavement Services Office
Public toilets
Some of our public toilets are closed.
Just Eat Belfast Bikes
Belfast Bikes rent-a-bike service has resumed across Belfast, with some restrictions in place.
Belfast Castle and Malone House
Belfast Castle and Malone House are closed to the public. Functions booked at these venues between now and end of August are postponed or cancelled.
We will keep this under review.
You can email Belfast Castle at bcr@belfastcastle.co.uk or Malone House at mcr@malonehouse.co.uk for more information.
Parks
Our parks are open to allow people to take exercise in their local park. But it is very important that everyone observes social distancing guidance when using our parks.
Events
Visit our events page for the latest updates.
Building Control, Planning Services and Licensing
Building Control, inspections, licences and permits
You can:
- find out more about how building control is affected
- find out more about how licences and permits are affected
Planning Service
We remain open and have new working practices in place.
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Support and advice for residents
Belfast community support
We are working closely with community, voluntary and statutory service providers in Belfast to make sure that our residents’ needs can be supported during coronavirus the (COVID-19) pandemic
- Find out more about Belfast community support
Health and wellbeing advice
Information about coronavirus (COVID-19) related health and wellbeing advice, housing advice and how to volunteer. Find out more.
Advice for pet owners
We are advising all animal owners to make sure their pets are kept under control during the COVID-19 (coronavirus) outbreak. 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.
- Find out more about dog control and animal welfare
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Business advice and support
Business restrictions, safety guidance and advice
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 shops and businesses which do not need a licence to operate. The police enforce closures of licensed premises.
To find lists of businesses which are subject to restrictions, go to:
Workplace safety guidelines and social distancing
If your business can continue to operate, you must follow workplace safety guidelines and social distancing to protect the safety and health of everyone in your workplace, including your customers and others visiting the premises.
Doing what is reasonable under the current guidelines to protect your staff and members of the public will help you to comply with health and safety law. Businesses must review their risk assessments and put in place measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19. The latest Public Health Agency (PHA) guidance 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.
Detailed guidance and advice for businesses
Visit other trusted sources for more information:
The most up to date guidance from the Public Health Agency (PHA)
Guidance for employees, employers and businesses (GOV.UK)
Advice on safety measures in the workplace (HSENI)
Guidelines for food businesses (GOV.UK)
Food delivery and takeaway guidance (CIEH)
Sources of guidance and support on the impact of COVID-19 (NI Assembly)
Guidance for employers and businesses on managing Legionella.
Advice and support on reopening a business
We are offering free and confidential support and guidance to businesses that are reopening 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 with queries about licensing requirements and measures to help the business function in a viable way, can contact us by email at hospitalitysectorrecovery@belfastcity.gov.uk.
Guidance on maintaining drinking water quality following temporary closure of premises can be found on the DAERA website.
Relief available for our suppliers
In line with UK Government guidance, we are committed to offering supplier relief on a case by case basis, to ensure service continuity during this period of disruption.
- Find out more about supplier relief assistance for our at-risk suppliers.
Reporting issues and concerns about businesses
Complaining about a shop or business
If you’re concerned a business is open when it shouldn’t be or is providing food and drink to be consumed on the premises, you can report this to us by email envhealth@belfastcity.gov.uk.
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 email envhealth@belfastcity.gov.uk or the Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland (HSENI) by email mail@hseni.gov.uk or phone 0800 0320 121.
Complaining about a licensed premises
Licensed premises such as bars, clubs and licensed restaurants must not open during coronavirus. To complain about a licensed premises, you should contact the PSNI using the non-emergency phone number 101 or online.
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 at 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 email mail@hseni.gov.uk.
Call for businesses to support supply of ventilators and ventilator components
As part of the government response to COVID-19, the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy is seeking UK businesses and organisations with the ability to design, manufacture or supply the following, as well as those who have, or provide, medical training or logistics capabilities.
If your business or organisation can help, find out more and register your detail
