public land were permitted only if they had been organised by a business, charity, public or political body, a risk assessment had been carried out, and all reasonable measures had been taken to limit virus transmission. There were some exceptions where otherwise-prohibited gatherings of more than 30 were allowed: Where reasonably necessary for work, voluntary or charitable purposes; or education or training Where reasonably necessary for childcare Where reasonably necessary to provide emergency assistance; or to avoid injury or illness or to escape a risk of harm Certain exceptions for elite sportspersons To fulfil a legal obligation. Government guidance The government's non-enforceable guidance on social distancing was more restrictive than the legal regulations. The guidance stated that from 4 July "you can meet in groups of up to two households (anyone in your support bubble counts as one household) in any location – public or private, indoors or outdoors. You do not always have to meet with the same household – you can meet with different households at different times. However, it remains the case – even inside someone’s home – that you should socially distance from anyone not in your household or bubble". When outside, "you can continue to meet in groups of up to six people from different households, following social distancing guidelines." Power to restrict access to public places The Secretary of State was given the power to make declarations restricting access to public outdoor places anywhere in England, either to a specified place or to all places of a given description. Once he had made such a declaration, access restrictions had to be enforced by the owner of the land or the local authority, and it became a criminal offence for anyone apart from the owner or occupier to enter the land without a reasonable excuse. Any direction to restrict access to public places had to be reviewed by the Secretary of State at least once every seven days. The owner or occupier of the land could appeal to the Magistrates Court against the direction. Offences and enforcement Enforcement of the regulations was in the hands of the police, with provision being made for the local authority and the Secretary of State to designate additional people for some purposes. It was a criminal offence to breach the restrictions on business closures, restrictions on gatherings, or public spaces that the Secretary of State had declared closed. Fixed