With government rules, regulations and guidance changing regularly it can be difficult for clubs to keep up with what they are allowed to do. This article summarises the BMC’s understanding of the constraints on club meets and access to huts, based on information available at the time and date of publication. Please remember to check for local changes that may affect your club or hut.

First produced: 21 October 2020

This version: 24 December 2021, 12:30

With government rules, regulations and guidance changing regularly it can be difficult for clubs to keep up with what they are allowed to do.  This article summarises the BMC’s understanding of the constraints on club meets and access to huts, based on information available at the time and date of publication.  Please remember to check for local changes that may affect your club or hut.

24/12/21 Summary of key changes announced recently for England and Wales relevant to mountaineering clubs.

• Increase to the types of indoors venues across England and Wales where wearing a face covering is recommended or required.
• Recommendations for a wider use of lateral flow tests before heading into environments where you may be with other people, for clubs this will include social meets, hut meets and climbing wall meets.
• Wide encouragement for getting vaccinated, including the booster jab.
• Differences across England and Wales regarding isolation periods and release points following a positive test.
• From 26 Dec: In Wales there will be a return to Alert Level 2 restrictions from Boxing Day.  Indoor club meets (such as at a climbing wall) will have a maximum group size of 30 people.  Outdoor club meets will have a maximum group size of 50 people. Restrictions on the number of people who can meet in indoor public places in Wales with a return to 2m social distancing and a maximum group size of 6 (“Rule of 6”) – for clubs this will impact on social meets at pubs, cafes and restaurants. 

General Considerations:

Please remember that legal minimums are just that – minimums.  Many organisations are asking their staff, volunteers and customers to go beyond these minimums, to provide both genuinely improved safety, and the reassurance that is essential for higher levels of use.  As with all other aspects of health and safety, people in any capacity are expected to take reasonable and appropriate steps to minimise their potential to harm those who may be affected by their acts or omissions.

As always, we have to stay within guidance and increasingly allow individuals to make their own choices.  Essentially indoor meets, outdoor meets and huts are operating as close to "normality" as the guidance allows if the club and their club members feel comfortable doing so, with common sense around mitigation procedures.  It is important for club committees to have conversations with their members to get their views on what they are comfortable with.

It is still sensible to encourage good hygiene (washing hands, sanitising etc.) and also, importantly, an open window policy in huts.  As we continue through the pandemic there is a growing emphasis on personal assessments - those who are risk averse can always choose to avoid huts or busy meets, and those that are less concerned can join in with enhanced care.

Some parts of the country, with increasing infection rates, are asking visitors to consider their actions by delaying their visit, avoiding popular “honey-pot” areas and undertaking tests before departing from home.  Clubs may wish to support the local population in the areas they are visiting by adhering to the local requests to reduce transmission of the virus.

Specifics:

Huts – England

• Huts in England are permitted to open without a government-imposed capacity limit.
• Hut operators need to consider the risks from covid-19, in the same way that other risks are considered - through a risk assessment relevant to the property.
• Consider that some members may be cautious about attending a hut in large groups.  Hut operators need to consider the steps they can take to help members feel comfortable in returning to using huts.
• The UK Government recommends taking a lateral flow test before meeting with other people.
• Click here for government advice on keeping safe under current conditions.
• Click here for BMC guidance on the re-opening of huts. 

Huts – Wales

• Huts in Wales are permitted to open, although government advice is to limit the number of households meeting together indoors to 3.
• From 26 December additional legislation will be in place to ban more than 30 people meeting indoors, this will include club huts.  However, the return to the Rule of 6 may impact on club huts - clarity is being sought on this issue from Welsh Government.
• Hut operators are required to undertake a specific assessment of the risk of exposure to coronavirus at the hut, and take appropriate steps to minimise those risks to all users of the hut (club members, visitors, volunteers, etc.)
• Consider that some members may be cautious about attending a hut in large groups.  Hut operators need to consider the steps they can take to help members feel comfortable in returning to using huts.
• The Welsh Government recommends taking a lateral flow test before meeting with other people.
• Click here for government guidance under the current conditions.
• Click here for BMC guidance on the re-opening of huts

Club Meets (Outdoor) – England

This section is for meets based in England, if a club from England is holding a meet in Wales the points in the subsequent section must be followed.

• There are no restrictions, due to covid-19, for clubs or club members meeting in the outdoors.
• Click here for government advice on keeping safe under current conditions.
• Consider that some members may be cautious about meeting up in large groups.  Clubs may wish to use some of the steps contained in the guidance produced by the BMC to help members feel comfortable in returning to meets.
• Car sharing in England is permitted.

Club Meets (Outdoor) – Wales

This section is for meets based in Wales, if a club from Wales is holding a meet in England the points in the preceding section must be followed.

• From 26 December there will be a limit of 50 people who can meet together outdoors, and club meets will need to adhere to this.
• The organiser of an outdoor activity in Wales has a legal duty to undertake a covid specific risk assessment and take reasonable measures to minimise the risk of exposure to and spread of coronavirus.  Click here for more information.  Click here for the guidance produced by the BMC.
• Consider that some members may be cautious about meeting up in large groups.  Clubs may wish to use some of the steps contained in the guidance produced by the BMC to help members feel comfortable in returning to meets.
• Car sharing in Wales is permitted, but consider wearing face coverings and keeping windows open for ventilation. Click here for more information from the Welsh Government

Club Meets (Indoor Climbing Wall) – England

• There are no limits to the number of people who can meet indoors, and so club meets are able to take place.
• Wearing a face covering is required in most walls, although not when climbing/exercising.
• However, it is important that all clubs contact the climbing wall prior to any visit to ensure compliance to the rules at that wall.

Club Meets (Indoor Climbing Wall) – Wales

• From 26 December there is a limit of 30 people who can meet together indoors, and club meets will need to adhere to this.
• Face masks are required to be worn in indoor public places in Wales.
• It is important that all clubs contact the climbing wall prior to any visit to ensure compliance to the rules at that wall.

Scotland

Please note that there have been recent changes to the rules in Scotland.  For the current position please go to the Mountaineering Scotland website.

Useful links

UK Government: Coronavirus
Welsh Government: Coronavirus
Welsh Government: Coronavirus control plan: autumn and winter 2021 update

Sport England – FAQ on coronavirus restrictions
Sport Wales – coronavirus – essential information ENGLISH CYMRAEG

* Mountaineering activities include rock climbing (trad & sport), bouldering, hill /fell / mountain walking, scrambling.  It does not include mountain biking, caving, kayaking and other such activities that are outside of the direct remit of the BMC.

Quick reference guide of what clubs currently can and can’t do from Sunday 26 December (Boxing Day)

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