Birkenhead town hall is to re-open for marriages and civil partnership ceremonies, starting from August 1.

The move follows extensive work to ensure the venue is safe for visitors and staff and can meet Government Covid-19 guidelines.

It also comes a short time after the reintroduction of notice of marriage appointments at the town hall for couples preparing to tie the knot.

Citizenship ceremonies will also recommence, although with restrictions. They will be held in the Council Chamber but no guests or civil dignitaries will be invited to attend. The content of the ceremony will be kept to a minimum.

Cllr Janette Williamson, Wirral Council Cabinet Member for Finance and Resources, said: “Getting married or a civil partnership is a key moment in people's lives and we want to make sure that couples in Wirral are able to do so once again. And I want to reassure them that we are taking all necessary steps to ensure they and their guests are able to tie the knot in safety at Birkenhead town hall.

Wirral Globe: Birkenhead town hallBirkenhead town hall

“In addition, we have a small number of people who are waiting to take part in citizenship ceremonies and I’m pleased that we are now able to allow these to take place and welcome these new citizens here in Wirral.”

Additional safety measures have also been put in place within the town hall, including:

• Protective desk screens and floor markings

• Hand sanitising stations

• A one-way system around the building

• Separate marked entry and exit system - entrance either at the front of the town hall or in Brandon Street

The room layout has been changed to accommodate the new Government guidance for weddings and will mean a maximum 24 guests, which includes any extras such as photographers, with no more than 30 people in the room. A list of guests will also need to be provided 48 hours prior to the ceremony.

The ceremonies will take place on a one hour turnaround allowing 30 minutes for the ceremony and a further 30 minutes for cleaning.

Signs reiterating guidance about key measures such as social distancing and hand washing are placed around the building and hygiene procedures involving both regular cleaning regimes throughout the day and a deep cleanse of the building are also part of measures to keep visitors and staff safe.

Anybody showing signs of Covid-19 should not visit Birkenhead town hall and should seek a test for the virus – details of how to do this are available on the council website wirral.gov.uk/test