A Bristol woman due to get married this month has called Covid-19 restrictions at a South Gloucestershire wedding venue “unfair and upsetting.”

Poole Court in Yate, owned by Yate Town Council, is continuing to enforce social distancing measures despite the lifting of restrictions, which means just 18 guests, including the couple, can attend a ceremony.

It also means the bride and groom must arrive together, and all guests must wait in their cars until invited inside.

Read more: Covid rules across England change from today - what you need to know

The venue says it has kept restrictions in place as “local case numbers of Covid-19 remain high.”

But one bride due to get married at Poole Court, who doesn’t wish to be named, has called the restrictions 'ridiculous'.

She told Bristol Live: “We are due to get married soon having been told all restrictions had been lifted.

“We paid extra money as the price had risen since we booked our original wedding which has been postponed twice because of Covid.

“When we got the paperwork it says only 16 guests are allowed as well as the Bride and Groom, which includes a photographer, children and babies in pushchairs.”

The paperwork, seen by Bristol Live, reads: "You must see the Registrar prior to the ceremony; please arrive 15 minutes before the ceremony to see the Registrar together. Your guests should wait in their cars until invited in to Poole Court."

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The bride continued: “It’s ridiculous, 16 people then a pub or restaurant full of people.

“You can go to a nightclub or sports event but you can’t get married in front of family.

“It’s so unfair and upsetting. The government is saying no restrictions, why is this so different?”

Social distancing guidelines no longer apply in England, as of July 19, but businesses or organisations can enforce their own measures.

Yate Town Council said: [We have] made a decision that whilst local case numbers of Covid-19 remain high in this area we are continuing with the measures we previously had in place (step three of the Roadmap) regarding the hire of all our venues, as we have a duty of care to keep our staff and customers safe which means that numbers are restricted.”