#notgoingout: Brits take to Twitter to declare they are staying in for New Year's Eve as nightclubs offer half-price deals or even stay shuttered due to Omicron fears

 Britons have taken to Twitter to declare they are #notgoingout on New Year's Eve tonight as the country remains gripped by Omicron panic.

Dozens of people shared their low-key plans to stay at home on social media, including watching Jools Holland, eating homemade pizza and drinking a mug of cocoa.

It comes as nightclubs in England, which are still allowed to open unlike neighbouring Scotland and Wales, frantically offer half-price deals in a bid to encourage revellers to ring in the new year with them. 

Widespread celebrations have already been cut short, after London mayor Sadiq Khan cancelled the traditional firework display at Trafalgar Square due to the surge in Covid cases. 

Jools Holland, a party with Kylie and other TV options if you're staying in this NYE

Emmerdale - ITV, 7pm

EastEnders - BBC One, 7.10pm

Coronation Street - ITV, 8pm 

MasterChef: Champion of Champions - BBC One, 8.30pm

The Last Leg of the Year - Channel 4, 9pm 

Jools' Annual Hootenanny - BBC Two, 11.25pm

The Big New Years & Years Eve Party with Kylie and Pet Shop Boys - BBC One, 11.25pm 

Cobra Kai - Netflix

Stay Close - Netflix

Nightclub owner Alex Proud said mixed messaging from the government over end of year celebrations had created 'a really dire situation' for the industry.

Alex Proud, who runs Proud Embankment in Brighton, told Sky News: 'There's hardly any staff here today, we're not sold out tonight and that story is the same across the country. 

'Venues that are normally sold out two weeks in advance are half sold out, and we are screaming in pain.

'Bookings are massively down. In my venue in Brighton we're doing a half price sale now, and that's unheard of in any venue. 

'Your local pub doesn't do a sale on New Year's Eve. It's disastrously bad.'

With venues forced to close in other areas of the UK, Scottish and Welsh revellers have been arriving in England before hitting the town later tonight. 

Work and Pensions Minister Chloe Smith said people are 'more than free to move around' the UK over the New Year on Thursday.

Asked if it would be wrong for people from Scotland to travel across the border into England to celebrate the New Year, Ms Smith told BBC Radio 4's World At One programme: 'Well, I think perhaps I should just add the obvious constitutional point here, which is that we are one country and people are more than free to move around inside our country under the general law, obviously.'

From December 15, Covid passes for entry into nightclubs and other venues have been in place, and this also applies to indoor events with 500 or more people, where they are likely to stand or move around, such as in music venues. 

Jools Holland's Annual Hootenanny is once again expected to be widely viewed on BBC Two tonight in a packed TV schedule

Jools Holland's Annual Hootenanny is once again expected to be widely viewed on BBC Two tonight in a packed TV schedule

Some venues, including this one in London's Shoreditch, is advertising offers to try and entice revellers to join them

Some venues, including this one in London's Shoreditch, is advertising offers to try and entice revellers to join them

While many Brits pledged to stay at home tonight on social media, some others said they were still intending to go out and enjoy themselves

While many Brits pledged to stay at home tonight on social media, some others said they were still intending to go out and enjoy themselves

Meanwhile, Waitrose has seen a surge in people searching for recipes online, suggesting middle class families are planning to stay in for dinner at home rather than going out.

The supermarket chain says searches for 'New Year's Eve recipes' are 160 per cent higher on its website than 12 months ago, while four times as many people are looking for 'dinner party recipes', compared to this time last year. 

Will Torrent, of Waitrose, told the Times: 'It's clear our customers are hosting intimate dinner parties for New Year's Eve this year and findings show that just over a third of shoppers are treating themselves and their guests to high-end, quality products and specialty ingredients. 

'We're seeing people upgrading their menus to kick off 2022.' 

Jools Holland's Annual Hootenanny is once again expected to be widely viewed on BBC Two tonight in a packed TV schedule.

Popular soaps EastEnders, Emmerdale and Coronation Street all have episodes this evening, there is a special of Channel 4's The Last Leg, while BBC One marks the end of the 2021 with 'The Big New Years & Years Eve Party with Kylie and Pet Shop Boys'. 

How restrictions on New Year's Eve celebrations vary across the UK 

New Year's Eve celebrations are likely to be somewhat muted across the country on Friday, as revellers adapt to a raft of different restrictions in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Here, we outline how the restrictions compare in the different UK nations.

– How will New Year's Eve be different in England this year?

Partygoers hoping to watch the traditional firework display for New Year's Eve in London will be disappointed as the mayor, Sadiq Khan, cancelled the Trafalgar Square event due to the surge in Omicron cases.

Revellers have been asked to watch a live TV broadcast on BBC One and BBC iPlayer, which organisers say will celebrate the city and highlight defining moments from the past year.

From December 15, Covid passes for entry into nightclubs and other venues have been in place, and this also applies to indoor events with 500 or more people, where they are likely to stand or move around, such as in music venues.

Face coverings been made compulsory in most indoor public settings, as well as on public transport.

The Government has also said that those celebrating in Scotland are free to travel south of the border to take advantage of looser restrictions in England, where nightclubs remain open.

Work and Pensions Minister Chloe Smith said people are 'more than free to move around' the UK over the New Year on Thursday.

Asked if it would be wrong for people from Scotland to travel across the border into England to celebrate the New Year, Ms Smith told BBC Radio 4's World At One programme: 'Well, I think perhaps I should just add the obvious constitutional point here, which is that we are one country and people are more than free to move around inside our country under the general law, obviously.'

But the Government has also urged caution.

During a visit to a vaccination centre in Milton Keynes on Wednesday, Prime Minister Boris Johnson urged people to get tested before New Year's Eve festivities.

He said: 'Everybody should enjoy New Year but in a cautious and sensible way – take a test, ventilation, think about others but, above all, get a booster.'

– What will the celebrations be like in Scotland?

In Scotland, events have one-metre social distancing and are limited to 100 people standing indoors, 200 people sitting indoors and 500 people outdoors, with one-metre physical distancing in place in all indoor hospitality and leisure settings. These restrictions include gatherings for Hogmanay celebrations.

Where alcohol is being served, table service is also required.

There is also guidance against travelling south of the border, contradicting England's approach.

On Wednesday, Scotland's Deputy First Minister John Swinney said that while there was nothing to stop people heading across the border to England, where nightclubs are still open, it would be the 'wrong course of action' and would go against the 'spirit' of the regulations.

The limit on the number of people who can take part in events has seen New Year's Eve street parties cancelled, including the one planned for Edinburgh.

The Scottish Government has urged people to 'stay at home as much as possible', with any meet-ups to be limited to a maximum of three households.

Since December 14, people have been asked to reduce their social contact as much as possible by meeting in groups of no more than three households.

-What will celebrations look like in Northern Ireland?

It has already been announced that nightclubs will be closed on Friday for New Year's Eve, while dancing is banned in hospitality venues.

For those venturing out to restaurants, table numbers must be limited to six people and diners must remain seated for table service.

– What is happening in Wales?

Current rules say groups of no more than six are allowed to meet in pubs, cinemas and restaurants, while licensed premises can offer table service only.

In pubs and other licensed premises, face masks should be worn, with contact tracing details collected, and customers should observe two-metre social distancing rules.

Nightclubs have been closed since Boxing Day in Wales. A maximum of 30 people can attend indoor events and a maximum of 50 people can be present for outdoor events.

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