While West End Lights is not an organised event and the organisers neither endorse nor police individual’s behaviour on 3/12/2021, a risk assessment has been conducted and some guidance issued as below to keep anyone visiting the West End to look at the illuminations as safe as possible.

As West End Lights takes place entirely outdoors it poses a very low risk of infection to participants and attendees. However appropriate measures must be followed to prevent and control the spread of infection and ensure the safety of everyone in our community.

With a few extra measures in place the benefits of getting outdoors and sharing illuminated artworks together builds community cohesion and supports better mental health and wellbeing across the community.

The key risks in relation to COVID-19 are:

  • Infection – people coming to the area to view artworks and spreading the virus between others.
  • Cross-Contamination – Passing on the virus via objects at ‘high-footfall’ or contact points.
  • Wider Infection – spreading the virus to the wider community.

Existing measures:

NHS Catch It, Bin It, Kill It
  • People attending to view artworks must follow government guidance and not meet in groups larger than 6 people.
  • Anyone displaying COVID-19 symptoms (temperature, persistent cough, loss of taste/smell) or with a CV-19 positive test result should not attend.
  • Anyone with either family or household members displaying COVID-19 symptoms (temperature, persistent cough, loss of taste/smell) or with a CV-19 positive test result should not attend.
  • Advise attendees to practice good respiratory hygiene using the “catch it, bin it, kill it” approach.
  • Anyone who is shielding, or living with someone who is shielding, should not attend.

Specific measures:

  • People viewing the artworks are recommended to maintain social distancing of at least two metres with other groups and individuals.
  • We recommend viewers to KEEP LEFT – keep the artworks to your left as you walk along the streets. This keeps the flow of footfall heading in the same direction, and also minimises the risk of kids running across the road.
  • CARE FOR YOUR NEIGHBOUR – West End Lights relies on the community to support each other. Individuals and families are responsible for their actions. Please think of others and how to care for each other during the event in particular, and the pandemic in general.