[ad_1]
Places like the National Trust gardens will have to close starting Monday, December 14, but public parks will remain open as new rules come into force mandating the closure of outdoor attractions in Wales.
Government officials have yet to come up with a definitive list of what constitutes an outdoor attraction, but the closures will include outdoor Christmas attractions, amusement parks, trampoline parks and indoor skate parks.
Holiday resorts, like Bluestone in Pembrokeshire, are still awaiting clarification on whether they can keep their attractions open, following the Prime Minister’s announcement on Friday, December 11.
In an update on Friday evening they said: “We are waiting for more information on the latest update from the Government of Wales at this lunchtime. We will let you know what this means for our guests as soon as we can.
“Thank you for your continued support and patience.”
Citing examples of what they meant by “outdoor attractions” on Friday night, a Welsh Government spokesperson said he was referring to any visitor attraction that draws people outdoors for entertainment, such as St Fagans, Winter Wonderlands or Welsh Botanic Gardens.
The St Fagans National History Museum in Cardiff said it would close as of December 14.
The forced closures are part of efforts to help stem the skyrocketing rise in coronavirus cases in Wales and the announcement came after Wales Medical Director Frank Atherton raised concerns about Christmas attractions that remained open.
He had said, “I’m worried, I’ll be honest, that we still have Christmas fairs and we still have Christmas attractions in some of our major cities. I think we should be questioning some of that.
“We have to, somehow, reduce person-to-person contact if we want to lower the numbers before Christmas.”
Coronavirus regulations are set to change on Monday, meaning that all outdoor visitor attractions in Wales, including museum grounds, galleries and heritage sites, are due to close with immediate effect on December 14.
The Swansea council said it will close the popular Alpine Village holiday attraction starting Saturday, December 12.
In a statement issued Friday night, Mark Drakeford said: “The situation in Wales is very dire, coronavirus rates are very high and the NHS is under sustained pressure.
“The advice of the Welsh Medical Director and Wales Public Health is that we must take urgent action now to help us enter the festive period with the lowest possible infection rate. That is why we have decided to ask all secondary schools to pass to online teaching during the last week of the term.
“Starting Monday December 14, we will also introduce changes to the 2020 Health Protection (Coronavirus Restrictions) Regulations (No. 4) (Wales). This will require that all outdoor attractions, including trade fairs attractions, close. It will also make it clear that trampoline parks and indoor skate parks must be closed. “
The regulations will be formally reviewed next week, Drakeford added. Meanwhile, Wales will enter a four-level traffic light lockdown system after Christmas and warned that Wales would go into a full lockdown at Level Four after Christmas unless case levels fell over the holiday period.
Here is a list of venues in Wales that have confirmed they will be closing.
Christmas fair rides at the castle, Cardiff
(Image: WalesOnline / Rob Browne)
The event that replaced Winter Wonderland is scheduled to run until Sunday January 3 but there will be no ice walk, which was canceled last month, and as of Monday December 14 there will be no attractions at the fairgrounds.
Stalls may remain open as they are classified as non-essential retail outlets.
Cardiff Council Leader Councilor Huw Thomas said on Friday: “The increase in the number of Cardiff cases that we are seeing now could not be more marked. This should act as a warning to each of us about the deadly gravity of the situation we now face. If current projections are met, then by Christmas week the high prevalence of the disease in the community would lead to a massive level of transmission within families and inevitably to the loss of many lives. Lives not to be lost.
“Each and every one of us has a responsibility to act now, and not just by complying with the Welsh government’s coronavirus regulations, but by taking more steps to protect those we plan to see at Christmas – our dear loved ones.”
Alpine village, Swansea
(Image: Richard Swingler)
Swansea City Council, together with partners, have been offering a safe and festive Christmas with new lights, a Christmas market, Christmas trees in the city center and a virtual Christmas parade.
The council has decided that all Museum Park Christmas attractions will close on Saturday, December 12, citing a “large increase” in the rate of Covid infection in Swansea and Neath Port Talbot.
A spokesperson said: “The closure of the large Ferris wheel, amusement park, arcade and food and drink outlets follows the announcement by the Welsh government that outdoor attractions in Wales must close, part of the government’s attempt to curb the pandemic as the number of coronavirus patients related to hospitals in Wales continues to rise.
“The downtown Christmas market will remain open in accordance with restrictions, although a fairground carousel will close.
“Today, Swansea had an infection rate of 580 per 100,000 people, while Neath Port Talbot had the second highest rate in Wales of 718.”
Robert Francis-Davies, a member of the council’s investment, regeneration and tourism cabinet, said: “Both Swansea and Neath Port Talbot face daily increases in the infection rate. More and more people are getting infected and we must take steps to reduce the amount of social mixing.
“All of Museum Park’s Christmas attractions have met the guidelines to date and the operator, Sayers Events, has worked closely with the council to ensure this. However, the Welsh government now wants outdoor attractions to close across Wales.
“Given the worrying level of infection in the community, this is the correct course of action: it will protect the public from the possibility of spreading the virus.
“Our health and social services are under immense pressure and we must do everything we can to help stop the growing wave of Covid cases.
“We are complying with the Welsh government regulations and hope that others will also be able to consider what actions they can take to protect the public. The level of risk in Wales is very high.
“We apologize to those who may have been planning to visit the Swansea Museum Park Christmas attractions, but we know that people will understand that the priority for all of us should be to protect people and our vital services at this very difficult time.”
Get the latest news from your area:
National Trust Wales
The National Trust in Wales announced that it would close all of its properties as of Monday, December 14.
In a statement posted on its website, the organization, which owns attractions such as Bodnant Garden, Dyffryn Gardens and Chirk Castle, said: “In accordance with guidance from the Government of Wales, all of our locations in Wales will be temporarily closed as of 14 December as part of the national effort to control the coronavirus The safety of our staff, volunteers, visitors and local communities remains our priority.
“We will continue to comply with the Welsh government restrictions and encourage everyone to follow the latest guidelines. We look forward to welcoming you when we can.”
The British Bird of Prey Center, Carmarthenshire
The raptor center, based at the National Botanic Gardens of Wales, has said it will close from Monday 14 December due to “last minute changes”.
The center said: “Due to more last minute changes, we are now being told that we will have to close as of Monday. These weekends the Magical Family Christmas Experience will take place as planned.”
“We will reach out to everyone with a reservation starting Monday. If you have a reservation after the 14th and you haven’t received an email by Monday, email us and we’ll sort things out for you. Try not to call, we’re working our way through everything as quickly as possible. “
[ad_2]
