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COVID-19: Nightclub to reopen doors in Liverpool as part of 'historic' trial

Watch: COVID-19 - Nightclub to reopen doors in Liverpool as part of 'historic' trial

The first nightclub event in the UK for over a year is set to take place in Liverpool at the end of the month.

It will be held across two nights, with nightclub Circus hosting The First Dance event, which will welcome 6,000 clubbers to the city's Bramley-Moore Dock warehouse.

The event will not require any social distancing or face coverings, as it is hoped it will pave the way for more clubs to open across the country.

The line-up includes Fatboy Slim, Jayda G and DJ Yousef Zahar, who is also the co-owner of Circus Liverpool.

The event is part of the national Events Research Programme (ERP), which will provide data on how events for a range of audiences could be permitted to safely reopen as part of the roadmap out of lockdown.

Ticket holders will have to take a lateral flow test 24 hours before the event and produce a negative result to gain entry.

The event will take place on 30 April and 1 May.

DJ Yousef said: "The First Dance is going to be a historic moment for electronic music and all events across in the UK.

"As the date nears and the weekend of events becomes closer to reality, me and the team at Circus all share an almost overwhelming feeling of pride, emotion, excitement and of course responsibility for what lies ahead.

"Together with the team at Liverpool City Council, we have safely crafted these events together, with a singular focus to help the UK get closer to life beyond COVID, which for myself and Circus has been a great honour.

"We can't wait to see the dance floor erupt time and time again as it has over the last 18 years."

Director of Culture Liverpool, Claire McColgan, added: "This hasn't been an easy process, and it's particularly hard as the night-time sector hasn't been open for over a year.

"It will be a different event to what people are used to - from the ticketing process to getting a negative lateral flow test before you're allowed entry.

"But anyone who attends will not only be helping to get clubs up and running in Liverpool, they will be pioneers for the whole country."

COVID-19 pilots schemes have already been trialled at the FA Cup semi-final at Wembley Stadium, with further trials to take place at the FA Cup final and a screening at the Luna Outdoor Cinema in Liverpool.

Restrictions have slowly begun to ease since March, with schools reopening first.

On 12 April, non-essential retail, restaurants and pubs reopened, while people are now allowed to meet in groups of six outdoors.

From 17 May, all social contact rules will be lifted outdoors, however gatherings over 30 will remain illegal.

The current roadmap projects 21 June for all restrictions to be lifted, but this is dependent on the vaccine rollout and hospital administrations.

The latest trial comes as it emerged households in the UK hit by COVID-19 job losses suffered much bigger falls in their incomes than in France and Germany.

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Some 41% of British households, where one or more person became unemployed, saw their income fall by at least a quarter.

In France, this figure was 20% and in Germany, it was 28%.

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