Durham has announced that formals this term will be alcohol-free

It’s a new term at Durham, which under any normal circumstances would be weeks full of formals, bops, balls and socials. But after a year of Covid restrictions dictating our lives, we would have been naive to expect things to resemble any sort of normality in time for Easter Term.

In light of this, Durham University has announced that formals this term will be alcohol-free and will only be open to livers-in who can provide proof of a negative LFT result taken at maximum 24 hours beforehand.

These measures will be in place until May 17th when government restrictions will ease, at which point livers-out will be able to return to college for formals and alcohol may be served again. A negative LFT result however will still be required even after 21st June and for any other college events.

Monday 26th April saw college bars and cafés reopening with table service and outdoor seating only, and it is up to individual colleges whether livers-out and those from other colleges are permitted to attend. Negative LFT tests and proof of sitting within a household are also required.

Until June 21st, anyone attending college events such as formals will have to remain seated in household groups, and music will only be allowed to be played quietly.