PUBS and bars are allowed to show live sport, according to new advice from Barrow Council.

The council said venues could now show sport after reviewing new guidance.

It said the showing of live sport would be permitted but only as part of thorough risk assessment.

Barrow Borough Council has recently reviewed published guidance from the Local Government Association on the showing of live sport in public premises.

A spokesman for the council said: “Central to the government guidelines on the reopening of pubs and restaurants, is the development of an appropriate COVID-19 risk assessment with specific controls in place to prevent the spread of the virus.

“Following our review of the LGA guidance, the screening of live sport is permitted. However, this must be included in a premises risk assessment that details what mitigation measures the premises will put in place to prevent shouting and chanting - both actions which may increase the transmission of Covid-19.

“Each assessment will depend on the nature and size of the individual business.”

According to the advice, relevant issues for a risk assessment to be considered are:

• The number of people able to access the premises safely

• How seating areas will be spaced out to enable social distancing

• How mechanisms for ordering/serving food and drink will be managed to reduce social contact - e.g table service (table service, apps etc)

• Processes for cleaning and hand sanitising

• Use of protective equipment and plastic screens

• A robust and consistent system of collecting all customer details, to assist the NHS track and trace scheme

There was confusion over whether pubs were allowed to show live sport when they were allowed to reopen for the first time in four months on July 4.

Barrow Council was accused by a community group claiming to represent business owners of not properly enforcing the Government’s coronavirus guidelines for venues but said it was down to licence holders to make sure they were complying.

In advice released by the council ahead of the July 4 opening, the authority said: “From Saturday customers should be seated while inside and will not be able to stand by the bar once they have received their order.

“Entertainment such as live sports broadcasts and music within the premises is also not permitted.”

The council said it was investigating businesses that had not complied with guidelines.