Statement: Switch bar opening update

3 August 2020

Councillor Peter Moss, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Planning and Regulations said,

"The situation with Switch re-opening this weekend brought us a lot of attention and we would like to provide further information.

Having received further guidance from the Government's Office for Product Safety and Standards on Friday, we informed the operator of Switch that they would no longer be able to reopen 1 August 2020.

Lawyers acting on behalf of the operators challenged this position on the basis that the venue was re-purposing as a bar, which are legally allowed to open under the current Regulations. The Council sought legal advice from a highly experienced barrister. It was determined that the operator of Switch was legally able to re-purpose and open as a bar, provided they followed strict safety precautions, including not providing a space for dancing.

During the evening of 1 August, our enforcement officers made 2 separate visits to the venue - each time working with the operator to make necessary changes. We are aware of the videos that are circulating on social media and officers will investigate the situation."