Betting shops in Northern Ireland set to close doors during circuit breaker

Betting shops in Northern Ireland are set to follow their counterparts in England and large areas of Scotland by closing their doors as part of new Covid-19 restrictions.

The Northern Ireland Executive on Thursday night agreed to implement a "circuit breaker" for two weeks from November 27 to try to halt the spread of the virus.

Under the measures all non-essential retail will close. Elite sports will be able to continue but behind closed doors.

Betting shops in England are closed until at least December 2 under the terms of the second lockdown, having already been shut in areas designated as Tier 3.

More than half of Scotland's betting shops will follow suit from this weekend when 11 council areas are placed under the country's strictest lockdown restrictions. Betting shops in Wales reopened this month.

Betting and Gaming Council chief executive Michael Dugher has written to Cabinet Office minister Michael Gove and Health Secretary Matt Hancock setting out the extra steps betting shops are willing to take in order to be able to re-open after lockdown.

Operators have said they will limit the length of time customers can stay in their premises, cap the number allowed in their shops at any one time and close all of their vending and hot drink facilities.

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