Hospitality businesses in Wales face tougher restrictions in the run up to Christmas

The new rules have not yet been finalised but will come into force on Friday, 4 December, according to first minister Mark Drakeford.

Referencing the new tier system that will soon come into place in England, as well as the two-week circuit break lockdown in Northern Ireland and the restrictions in Scotland, Drakeford said that measures also needed to be taken in Wales to reduce the spread of the virus.

He said that this didn’t mean a return to the country's firebreak arrangements​​ that it initiated earlier on but that the cabinet was going to take “further specific and targeted action” to reinforce the current national measures.

This means a focus on places where Drakeford says people meet and where the virus thrives, meaning that new restrictions will be placed on hospitality businesses and that venues including cinemas and bowling alleys will have to shut before the festive break.

“There will be new restrictions in the hospitality industry,” he said.

“I know just how hard the sector has worked to put measures in place to protect the public and I know this will be a very worrying time for all those working in the industry.”

He added the Government was working with parnters to finalise the details and would be putting in place “a further major package of financial support”, details of which will be announced on Monday 30 November.

Restaurants, pubs and bars in Wales were allowed to reopen on 9 November after a 17-day national lockdown and have to adhere to a 10pm curfew.