Nightclubs will be able to open at 100% capacity from tomorrow, once everyone attending is vaccinated.
Up to 1,500 people will also be allowed to stand at indoor gig venues, under the new Government guidelines.
The guidelines come ahead of the further reopening of society tomorrow.
🚨 New guidelines have been finalised
🍻 Pubs
- multiple bookings allowed
- table service remains & socially distanced queues at bar
- 11:30 closing time gone
🎤 Gig venues
- Up to 1,500 people can stand
🕺Nightclubs
- full capacity
- bar service with socially distanced queues— Stephen Murphy (@StephenMNews) October 21, 2021
Nightclubs will be opening for the first time in 18 months.
They will be able to operate at full capacity, while people will be able to go to the bar to get a drink while staying 2 metres apart.
Gigs will be able to proceed at full capacity fully seated, as well as a maximum of 1,500 people standing.
The strict 11:30 pm closing time for pubs and restaurants will be scrapped from tomorrow, meaning late bars will be able to operate again.
While tables will be limited to a maximum of ten adults, people can make multiple bookings.
Table service remains, but people can queue at the bar once social distancing is observed.
It has been previously confirmed that weddings will also now be able to proceed without capacity limits.
Arts and Culture Minister Catherine Martin said face masks will still be required when moving around in venues, such as going to the toilet or heading to to the bar.
In terms of live venues and gigs, she said: "This is all about progress, but also taking into consideration where we are with public health at the moment.
"1,500 [people standing] is progress for the larger venues, but it does let smaller venues operate as well."
Masks will not be needed in nightclubs when people are dancing or drinking.
Minister Martin said the need for personal responsibility will remain, and people will have had their COVID certs checked at the door.
She added: "This already happens in restaurants - where you enter with your facemask on... and put it [on] again when walking to the restrooms.
"This is all about us adapting. We're trying to help the sectors who have suffered so much... but we have to be cognisant there are some restrictions that need to be there and need to be enforced."
