Pubs, restaurants, hotels and hairdressers can open from 4 July in England, when social distancing rules will be eased. Prime Minister Boris Johnson said people should remain two meters apart where possible but a “one metre plus” rule will be introduced.
Two households in England will also be able to meet indoors and stay overnight – with social distancing. The prime minister warned that all the steps were “reversible”.
Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, Wales’ First Minister Mark Drakeford and Northern Ireland’s Arlene Foster have said the 2m rule will remain in place in their nations for the moment.
Indoor gyms, swimming pools, nail bars and indoor play areas are among the list of businesses that will remain closed, as they have been since lockdown started on 23 March.
The meeting of households will not be exclusive so, for example, one set of grandparents could see their relatives one weekend, and the other set of grandparents the next.
But, unlike the bubble system, people will have to maintain social distance – so family members who live apart will not be able to hug.
Mr Johnson said people would be encouraged to use “mitigation” – such as face coverings and not sitting face-to-face – when less than 2m from each other but “where it is possible to keep 2m apart, people should”.
Mr Johnson said the “national hibernation” was beginning to end, and “life is returning to our streets” but warned the virus was still not defeated and vigilance was required.
He said: “Our principle is to trust the British public to use their common sense in the full knowledge of the risks, remembering the more we open up, the more vigilant we need to be.”
The venues listed as being able to reopen include:
- Pubs, bars and restaurants but only with a table service indoors, and owners will be asked to keep contact details of customers to help with contact tracing
- Hotels, holiday apartments, campsites and caravan parks but shared facilities must be cleaned properly
- Theatres and music halls but they will not be allowed to hold live performances
- In other changes weddings will be allowed to have 30 attendees, and places of worship will be allowed to hold services but singing will be banned
- Hair salons and barbers will be able to reopen but must put protective measures, such as visors, in place
- Libraries, community centres and bingo halls
- Cinemas, museums and galleries
- Funfairs, theme parks, adventure parks, amusement arcades, skating rinks and model villages
- Indoor attractions where animals are exhibited, such as at zoos, aquariums, farms, safari parks and wildlife centres
What cannot open from 4 July?
The following places will remain closed by law:
- Nightclubs and casinos
- Bowling alleys and indoor skating rinks
- Indoor play areas including soft-play
- Spas
- Nail bars and beauty salons
- Massage, tattoo and piercing parlours
- Indoor fitness and dance studios, and indoor gyms and sports venues/facilities – although Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden tweeted that ministers hope to be able to reopen gyms and leisure facilities in mid-July
- Swimming pools and water parks
- Exhibition or conference centres – other than for those who work for that venue.
Mr Johnson said the government could not open everything at the same time and said “difficult judgements” had to be made.
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said he welcomed the statement overall, adding “I believe the government is trying to do the right thing and in that I support them”.
He added he thought it was “safe for some children to return to school” and he urged clarity over getting all children back to school safely.
Source: bbc.com
