NO FESTIVE BOARDS
Many questions have been asked by Masonic Halls with regards to the advice from UGLE regarding Festive Boards after Lodge meetings as contained in the General Guidance for the Resumption of Masonic Meetings issued on the 6th July.
I have obtained the following legal opinion from UGLE on which they base the guidance.
The question is whether or not the government guidance permits festive boards. If the guidance does not then hosting festive boards could invalidate their (Masonic Halls) public liability insurance, expose them to litigation from employees or volunteers (and hypothetically from users, but this is unlikely), cause trading standards to temporarily shut them down or the local authority to suspend or remove their alcohol license. For these reasons if the management of a Hall allow it to open in breach of the guidelines then that management may not be acting in their Hall’s best interests. It also has potential reputational consequences for the Hall and for Freemasonry, locally and nationally.
The current government guidance is explicit that groups of people must not dine together except where they are within their 2 household/bubble party. See, for example the guidance for businesses:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/further-businesses-and-premises-to-close/further-bus
inesses-and-premises-to-close-guidance
In particular this part:
People should only visit a restaurant in their household groups (or support bubbles where an adult who lives alone or with dependent children, can spend time with one other household indoors), or with one other household, or with up to 5 other people outdoors.
Similarly the guidance specifically for catering establishments (including for “social and similar clubs operating as bars and restaurants” and “similar venues”) repeats the above extract at paragraph 2.2 in the text and again in the bullet points:
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/working-safely-during-coronavirus-covid-19/restaurants-offering-takeaway-or-delivery#takeaways-2-1
A lodge which gathers for a meal together is breaching the guidance (unless all of the attendees are in the same 2 household/bubble).
We are hopeful that this will change soon.
Donald Taylor - Director of Legal Services- 10th July 2020
AM Dyson - ProvGSec/Scribe E
- 10. There are to be no Festive Boards after meetings. Presently, guidance does not allow for mass dining but as soon as the guidance changes to allow this, dining may then be offered.
I have obtained the following legal opinion from UGLE on which they base the guidance.
The question is whether or not the government guidance permits festive boards. If the guidance does not then hosting festive boards could invalidate their (Masonic Halls) public liability insurance, expose them to litigation from employees or volunteers (and hypothetically from users, but this is unlikely), cause trading standards to temporarily shut them down or the local authority to suspend or remove their alcohol license. For these reasons if the management of a Hall allow it to open in breach of the guidelines then that management may not be acting in their Hall’s best interests. It also has potential reputational consequences for the Hall and for Freemasonry, locally and nationally.
The current government guidance is explicit that groups of people must not dine together except where they are within their 2 household/bubble party. See, for example the guidance for businesses:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/further-businesses-and-premises-to-close/further-bus
inesses-and-premises-to-close-guidance
In particular this part:
People should only visit a restaurant in their household groups (or support bubbles where an adult who lives alone or with dependent children, can spend time with one other household indoors), or with one other household, or with up to 5 other people outdoors.
Similarly the guidance specifically for catering establishments (including for “social and similar clubs operating as bars and restaurants” and “similar venues”) repeats the above extract at paragraph 2.2 in the text and again in the bullet points:
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/working-safely-during-coronavirus-covid-19/restaurants-offering-takeaway-or-delivery#takeaways-2-1
A lodge which gathers for a meal together is breaching the guidance (unless all of the attendees are in the same 2 household/bubble).
We are hopeful that this will change soon.
Donald Taylor - Director of Legal Services- 10th July 2020
AM Dyson - ProvGSec/Scribe E
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