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Coronavirus COVID-19

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Business closures

Under Circuit Breaker direction that came into operation in the Isle of Man from 00:01 on 7 January 2021, all non-essential services and community spaces have been mandated to close. 

Businesses that have not been mandated to close and are exempt from closure can be found below. 

Takeaway and delivery services may remain open and operational in line with previous guidance.

For all businesses that have not been mandated to close – please see General Business Guidance.

The following businesses and premises must remain closed, unless they fall under one of the exemptions.

These closures have been made under the COVID-19 Public Health Regulations 2020.

Please see the Closure Direction Notice for Premises

This direction shall be in operation from 00:01 on 7 January 2021 and will remain in force until 00:01 on 28 January 2021.


Some businesses in the Retail sector are permitted to remain open due to the essential products they sell. However, some businesses may be selling multiple products which means they fall into the above ‘essential’ categories in some part, but not wholly across their full range of products.

If a business is selling multiple product types they should follow the published guidance by the Government. Where possible, shops must limit public access to or close off the areas within your store which fall outside of the essential product types. For more information and guidance for businesses that have multiple product types, please follow the Circuit Breaker guidance for Retailers selling multiple product types.

Quicklinks:

 

Food & Drink

Restaurants, and public houses, wine bars or other drinking establishments

Exemption:

  • Food delivery and takeaway can remain operational and can be a new activity for existing food businesses.
  • This covers the provision of hot or cold food that has been prepared for consumers for collection or delivery to be consumed, reheated or cooked by consumers off the premises.

Cafés and canteens

Exemption:

  • Food delivery and takeaway can remain operational (and as above).
  • Cafés and canteens at hospitals, care homes or schools; prison canteens; services providing food or drink to the homeless.
  • Where there are no practical alternatives, other workplace canteens can remain open to provide food for their staff and/or provide a space for breaks. However, where possible, staff should be encouraged to bring their own food, and distributors should move to takeaway. Measures should be taken to minimise the number of people in the canteen at any one given time, for example by using a rota and social distancing and PPE requirements should be observed.

Mobile catering

Exemption:

  • Food delivery can remain operational.

Retail

Hairdressers, barbers, beauty and nail salons, including piercing and tattoo parlours.

No exemptions

Massage parlours

No exemptions

All retail

Exemptions: Essential shops and services.

Examples:

  • Supermarkets and other food shops
  • Health shops
  • Pharmacies and chemists
  • Petrol stations
  • Bicycle shops
  • Hardware shops
  • Agricultural merchants
  • Builders merchants
  • Veterinary surgeries and pet shops
  • Corner shops and newsagents
  • Off-licenses and licensed shops selling alcohol, including those within breweries
  • Laundrettes and dry cleaners
  • All Post Offices
  • Car rental services and car parks in towns, cities and near to takeaways may remain open, to facilitate essential activity (e.g. where they are supporting hospitals, supermarkets or takeaways)
  • High street banks, building societies, short-term loan providers, credit unions and cash points.
  • Storage and distribution facilities, including delivery drop off points.
  • Public toilets

All other shops must close. Examples:

  • Electronic shops
  • Book shops
  • Jewellers
  • Gift shops
  • Stationary/home office equipment suppliers
  • Charity shops
  • Furniture and homeware shops
  • Clothes shops and sporting equipment shops
  • Florists 

Outdoor and indoor markets, shopping centres

Exemption:

  • Outdoor market stalls which offer essential retail, such as grocery and food.

Auction houses

No exemptions

Garden Centres

Non-essential items may be provided by delivery

Car showrooms

Car showrooms are to close, including test drives

Exemption:

  • Car garages
  • Car and bike repair shops

 Construction and Trades

Construction, building or maintenance sites

Exemption:

Tradespeople carrying out essential or emergency work

 Medical Services

Opticians, dental surgeries, and other professional vocational medical services

These businesses are able to stay open as long as they follow social distancing and hygiene guidance.

 Miscellaneous

Any cleaning business

Exemption:

The cleaning of commercial premises.

Any business of keeping livestock

Exemption:

The person carrying on the business of keeping livestock must do so in a way that is consistent with the advice for keepers of stock.

Animal welfare facilities

  • Where the care is the subject of veterinary oversight or a recommended care programme.
  • Doggy daycare and dog walking facilities to support essential workers

 Hotels

Hotels, hostels, B&Bs, campsites and boarding houses for commercial use

Exemption:

  • Where people live in these as interim abodes whilst their primary residence is unavailable they may continue to do so.
  • Key workers, permanent residents, and non-IOM residents who are unable to travel to their country of residence during this period can continue to stay in hotels or similar where required.
  • People who are unable to move into a new home due to the current restrictions can also stay at hotels.
  • Where hotels, hostels, and B&Bs are providing rooms to support homeless and other vulnerable people such as those who cannot safely stay in their home, through arrangements with relevant authorities, they may remain open.

Non-residential institutions

Schools

Exemption:

  • Only open for children of key workers and vulnerable children

Please see closure direction

Nurseries

Exemption:

  • Only open for children of key workers and vulnerable children

Please see closure direction

Libraries

Exemptions:

Libraries in educational institutions or healthcare settings

Places of worship

Exemptions:

  • Funerals may continue, with a maximum of 10 people attending with social distancing in place and PPE advice observed.

Leisure

Museums and galleries

No Exemptions

Cinemas, theatres and concert halls

No Exemptions

Youth Clubs and centres

No Exemptions

Bingo halls, casinos and betting shops

No Exemptions

Spas

No Exemptions

Fitness studios, gyms, swimming pools or other indoor leisure centres

Gyms may open to limited staff to host online/virtual classes only.

Arcades, bowling alleys, soft play centres and similar

No Exemptions

Takeaway and delivery facilities should remain open and operational

People can continue to enter premises to access takeaway services, including delivery drivers.  No orders should be taken in person on the premises.  Businesses should take orders online or by telephone, and should not provide seating areas, indoors and outdoors, for customers to consume food and drink on or wait.

Ordering in advance is strongly encouraged to avoid waiting, and whilst waiting people must maintain a 2 metre distance from others.

House viewings

House viewings are to cease, even by Estate Agencies.

Vehicle sharing

Vehicle sharing, eg. Driving instructors and car sharing is to cease, in line with restrictions on household mixing, unless required for essential services (eg emergency services, critical infrastructure, waste management) where sharing is part of work activity and with suitable mitigations.

Further information

This guidance will be updated regularly as the situation develops.