The MG Car Club is committed to following the latest UK Government advice on events and public gatherings.

General Advice

Many of our volunteers and members will know that recently, key changes to Government guidance were introduced stating that the “rule of six” now applies to social gatherings, meaning that it is illegal to gather socially in groups of larger than 6 people.

So, what does this restrictions mean for events, shows and meet ups and what are the rules that apply to car clubs such as ours?

We have outlined the Government advice pertinent to us below. However, as regional outbreaks occur, (such as seen this Summer in Leicester, England) local guidance may also change on a regional basis, so MGCC centres should also check with their local authorities for advice specific to their area of the country.

We are aware that some venues have been running or advertising certain small scale events. If members attend such gatherings, they do so at their own risk and should satisfy themselves that the business, venue or organiser has put in the necessary infrastructure, social distancing, track and trace and hygiene measures to comply with the regulations for hospitality venues.

Cafés, Restaurants and Pubs are able to re-open, but track and trace is now a legal requirement and groups larger than six may not gather within the premises.

Natters and other Centre / Register events

On advice from UK Government, we are continuing to urge caution regarding events or gatherings. For those advertised by third-parties, you attend at your own risk.

We had hoped by now, the it would have been possible to restart natters and local events. Indeed, we had made significant strides to put in place safety guidance for the resumption of club gatherings. But, the latest UK Government advice introducing the ‘rule of six’ plus new regional lockdowns where deemed necessary has made any relaxation impossible. We have also been made aware that most hospitality venues are wary of hosting gatherings.

So, at this time, we are advising that you attend any advertised events (which must be run by COVID secure professional events organisations – such as the British Motor Museum) at your own risk. Certain hospitality venues, events companies and other premises have been granted certain permissions to hold organised gatherings. Those that are running events do so with significant burden of responsibility, risk assessments and COVID-safe infrastructure in place such as track and trace, temperature testing on arrival and sanitising stations.

We will be putting all this infrastructure in place for our 90th anniversary celebratory weekend at the British Motor Museum, Gaydon with the help of the museum venue. So, you can book your weekend packages with confidence, knowing that your safety is our priority.

For now, the latest Government restrictions do mean that meets and natters within our Centres and Registers, sadly cannot resume just yet. We believe the burden of responsibility on our volunteers is still too high, as is the risk to health from organising large scale events. Furthermore, Government this week advised us that the penalties for hosting gatherings that break the rules are to be increased both for organisers and attendees. Whilst these are mainly aimed at protests and illegal raves, we wouldn’t want any of our volunteers falling foul of the law.

In the meantime, keep in touch via our Social Media, Podcast and your own local WhatsApp groups and Zoom calls. Some centres have managed to organise road runs in small groups (no more than 6) to exercise their MGs. These are a good way to offer your group some activity, but please ensure you organise the run in such a way as to avoid any congregations of people at the start, finish or any stop-over points. Avoid gatherings in car parks or other public spaces. Observe social distancing at all times and follow the law. Also be aware of any local lockdowns in your area.

What are the rules on meeting up with people?

England

  • It is currently against the law for gatherings of more than 6 people to take place except where specified in the Regulations, this includes private homes and outdoor spaces.

Scotland

  • It is currently against the law for gatherings of more than 6 people to take place except where specified in the Regulations, this includes private homes and outdoor spaces. See links to specific advice for Scotland below.

Wales

  • See links below for specific rules relating to Wales.

How are the rules enforced?

Individuals can be issued with fines of £100, up to £3,200 for repeat offences with more serious offences being prosecuted. The Police have powers to disperse groups of over 6 people and remove people from an area.

What about clinically vulnerable individuals?

Those who have been unidentified as at “high-risk” of contracting COVID-19 are now able to gather in groups of up to six people outdoors. This number includes individuals outside of the household. Those shielding can also form a “support bubble” with one other household.

Guidance Links

England: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/staying-alert-and-safe-social-distancing/staying-alert-and-safe-social-distancing-after-4-july 

Scotland: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-information-for-individuals-and-businesses-in-scotland

Wales: https://gov.wales/coronavirus

Northern Ireland: https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/campaigns/coronavirus-covid-19

For NHS information visit
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/

For more information on COVID-19 visi
t: www.who.int

Key points :

  • *The pandemic is NOT over – the lives of our families and friends are still at risk.
  • Check your car over carefully if it’s not been used for a while, paying particular attention to tyres and brakes.
  • Maintain social distancing of 2 metres where possible (1 metre in certain circumstances – refer to Government guidelines).
  • If you previously declared your MG as being on SORN to the DVLA , be sure to update it before taking to the road.
  • *If you didn’t renew your insurance policy during lockdown, do it right away. To help with this, check out the contacts for our panel of insurers in Safety Fast Magazine.
  • If your vehicle needs one, do you have an MOT?  The six month extension only applies to cars that were due an MOT after 30th March 2020 and before 1st August. Extensions are granted in the seven days before the expiry date. After August 1st, you will be required to renew your MOT upon it’s expiry as normal.
  • For more information on COVID-19 visit www.who.int

Please be assured that during this rapidly changing situation, we are monitoring advice very closely and will follow up with MGCC members when the situation changes.

Please note: As our volunteer organisers announce their move to postpone or cancel certain events, members should support them in that decision.

BBC advice for keeping healthy
MGCC Latest info
https://www.mgcc.co.uk/mg-car-club-corona-virus-guidance/