CINEMAS, bingo halls and hotels are among the list of businesses that can reopen on May 17 when Covid restrictions ease further.
But not all businesses will be able to welcome customers back next week. Below, we explain which ones can and can’t return.
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Some businesses have already restarted, such as non-essential retailers and pubs and restaurants that have outdoor seating areas.
Next Monday, businesses which rely on an indoor setting can reopen under the third stage of Boris Johnson’s roadmap out of lockdown.
This means boozers will be able to serve punters inside, and stadiums can reopen for sports and performances – although capacity limits will be in place.
What four tests does the gov need to pass before the next stage of restrictions is eased?
1. The vaccine deployment programme continues successfully.
2. Evidence shows vaccines are sufficiently effective in reducing hospitalisations and deaths in those vaccinated.
3. Infection rates do not risk a surge in hospitalisations which would put unsustainable pressure on the NHS.
4. Our assessment of the risks is not fundamentally changed by new Variants of Concern.
What businesses can’t open on May 17?
- Nightclubs
- Larger events
While many businesses are set to reopen next Monday, some will have to wait until June 21 at the earliest to reopen.
This is when all restrictions will lift, and Brits will truly be able to return back to normal.
By the end of July, every adult is expected to have been offered a first dose of the Covid jab.
If you want to go clubbing, you won’t be able to do so until another six weeks time – if the PM’s roadmap out of lockdown goes according to plan.
This is due to the difficulty of making them Covid-secure due to limited social distancing and it’s harder to keep areas clean constantly.
Gigs are supposed to restart from June 21, but they could be allowed to go-ahead with limits on numbers and social distancing from next Monday.
Weddings should be allowed without restrictions on numbers in the final stage of the roadmap – but the PM is under pressure to relax rules sooner than this.
All restrictions will be lifted from June 21 as long as the pace of the vaccine roll out continues the way it is, and infection rates stay down.
Businesses reopening on May 17
- Pubs (indoor serving)
- Restaurants (indoor serving)
- Steam rooms
- Saunas
- Cinemas
- Bingo halls
- Bowling alleys
- Big events (with capacity)
- Sports stadiums (with capacity)
Businesses that rely on an indoor setting will be allowed to open their doors to customers again from May 17.
This will include pubs and restaurants, both of which would be allowed dine-in customers from this date.
Some larger events will finally also kickstart again.
Indoor events such as gigs will have a capacity limit of 1,000, or 50% – whichever is the smaller number.
Meanwhile, outdoor events will be able to welcome up 4,000 or 50% capacity.
But outdoor events which are seated, such as football matches, will be capped at 10,000 or 25%.
Other businesses that will be allowed to reopen at this time include indoor entertainment, such as cinemas and bingo halls.
Businesses which reopened on April 12
A number of businesses opened on April 12.
- Clothing shops
- Homeware shops
- Toy shops
- Vehicle showrooms (other than for rental)
- Betting shops
- Tailors
- Tobacco and vape shops
- Electronic goods shops
- Mobile phone shops
- Auction houses (except for auctions of livestock or agricultural equipment)
- Market stalls selling non-essential goods
Other businesses that were allowed to reopen on April 12 include:
- Pubs (outdoor service only)
- Restaurants (outdoor service only)
- Hairdressers
- Gyms (indoor exercising – but no classes)
- Beauty salons
- Spas
- Libraries
- Theme parks
- Drive-in cinemas
- Drive-in performances
- Zoos
- Community centres
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By the end of July, every adult is expected to have been offered a first dose of the Covid jab.
Any other businesses that weren’t mentioned as part of the roadmap should be open by this point, if all goes to plan.
So far none of the dates have been threatened to be pushed back, but the roadmap can be altered by the PM if coronavirus cases start rising or the vaccine programme misses targets.
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This post first appeared on thesun.co.uk
