Seating at Mass

For those who have not been yet, and perhaps for those who have but wonder why things are as they are here is an account of our layout and its rationale.

(i) We use only every second bench.

(ii) The benches in the aisle beneath the stations are used for a couple/family/bubble/household/group of two or more people (called simply ‘a household’ from now on).

(iii) In the other two banks of benches, a person, or a couple, sitting at one end is 1m distance from a couple sitting at the other end of the same bench. Thus these benches can accommodate two couples (or two single people) maintaining 1m distance by sitting at the ends.This does mean that it is important to sit at the end of the bench. Finally, these benches can accommodate three single-person households, with one and each end and one in the middle. Again, it is for those at the ends to sit at the end of the bench. These benches can alternatively accomodate a single larger household.

(iv) For Sunday Mass, from 31 July, we are using the benches in the choir as 'overflow' benches for the last arrivals when all other seats are taken. Distancing may not be observed in these choir benches. Instead, for the Christmas weekend Masses, we will use these benches in the same way as the others in Church.