I hope you are all enjoying the Easter holiday break and are looking forward to the lighter evenings and re-openings.
The confidence in the UK is becoming stronger and stronger. Each week various lockdown measures are being relaxed and I hope we are closer to what once seemed a normal situation: Greeting friends with a handshake, hugging family and enjoying company with those we have only seen via Zoom for what seems like an eternity.
Usually, I would be recommending great locations and cool venues to visit in Europe at this time of year. However, the pandemic has stopped that. And so I have decided for April’s Newsletter to list the Road Map to Recovery for the UK, so that hopefully you can turn your dream vacations into reality later this year.
ENGLAND
Beginning with England I am delighted to announce that as of Monday 29th March - (Step 1)
Outdoor guided tours are permitted but must operate within the legal gathering limits. Tours can be provided for a single permitted group of visitors (up to 6 people, or two households), or multiple permitted groups that are kept separate throughout the activity.The tour guide does not count towards the Rule of 6 or 2 households limits
Private hire coach tours can take place for a private group of single households (or support/childcare) bubbles, for day-trips only. Large coach trips and tours with multiple groups are not permitted. Coach driver and tour guide do not count towards single household/bubble rule.
Heritage railway services which operate as an indoor attraction must remain closed. This applies to services provided primarily for dining or other recreational purposes, or for the carriage of passengers from the same start and end point. Heritage railway services going from place to place (i.e. point A to point B) are considered ‘public transport’, and can be permitted if required for the purposes of transport (provided all social distancing and face covering requirements are followed).
Visiting a business event venue for the purpose of viewing the venue for a future booking for a work-based event (even if the venue is otherwise closed) is permitted if this cannot be reasonably done from home. Other viewings (where there is not a permitted exemption such as essential work) are not permitted, and should not take place in closed venues
Weddings/civil partnerships and funerals: weddings/civil partnerships and funerals can take place, however there are limitations on the types of activity and the number of guests who can attend. Funerals of up to 30 people permitted. Weddings up to 6 people permitted. Wakes and other linked commemorative events of up to 6 permitted.
There is no mixing indoors except with your household or support bubble. People can meet outdoors, including in gardens, in groups of 6 people or 2 households.
People can not stay overnight away from home. Limited exemptions apply e.g. to stay with your support bubble.
Early years settings, schools and colleges are open for all students. Students on practical university courses can return. Students and staff will be regularly tested. Other Higher Education students should continue to learn remotely.
Everyone should work from home if they can.
Essential shops remain open. Non-essential retail must stay closed and can only run click-and collect and delivery.
Hospitality closed aside from takeaway, click-and-collect, drive through or delivery. Alcohol cannot be purchased through takeaway or click-and-collect from hospitality venues.
Hotels and accommodation remain closed, with limited exemptions.
You should minimise travel as much as possible. Avoid the busiest times and routes.
You should not go on holiday in the UK or abroad. You could be fined £5,000 for travelling abroad without a reasonable excuse.
No Earlier than 12 April - (Step 2)
Non-essential retail will reopen including retail travel agents, antique stores, clothing stores, remaining auction houses and markets.
Personal care facilities and close contact services will reopen including hair, beauty and nail salons along with spas and massage centres (except for steam rooms and saunas).
Indoor sports and leisure facilities will reopen. This will include gyms and leisure centres sports courts and swimming pools along with driving & shooting ranges and riding arenas.
Self-contained holiday accommodation in which all facilities (including for sleeping, catering, bathing, and indoor lobbies and corridors for entry and exit) are restricted to exclusive use of a single household/support bubble will reopen.
Outdoor areas at hospitality venues (cafes, restaurants, bars, pubs, social clubs, including in member’s clubs) can reopen, including for takeaway alcohol. Some venues may wish to erect outdoor shelters. To be considered ‘outdoors’, shelters, marquees and other structures can have a roof but need to have at least 50% of the area of their walls open at all times whilst in use. These venues may allow customers to use toilets located inside.
Outdoor attractions will reopen at:
adventure parks and activities
animal attractions (such as at zoos, safari parks and aquariums)
drive in events, such as for cinemas, theatres, and other performances.
film studios
funfairs and fairgrounds
model villages
museums and galleries
skating rinks
theme parks
trampolining parks
water and aqua parks
Permitted businesses operating in otherwise closed attractions (such as a gift shop or a takeaway kiosk at a museum) may only open where they are a self-contained unit and can be accessed directly from the street.
No earlier than 17 May - (Step 3)
People can meet indoors, in groups of 6 people or 2 households or in a group of no more than 30 people outdoors.
Indoor entertainment and visitor attractions will reopen. This will include:
cinemas
theatres
concert halls
museums and galleries
adventure playgrounds and activities
casinos
bowling alleys
skating rinks
games, recreation and entertainment venues such as escape rooms and laser quest
model villages
water and aqua parks
indoor visitor attractions at theme parks and film studios
indoor attractions at zoos, safari parks, aquariums and other animal attractions
indoor attractions at botanical gardens, greenhouses and biomes
indoor attractions at sculpture parks
indoor attractions at landmarks including observation wheels or viewing platforms
indoor attractions at stately or historic homes, castles, or other heritage sites
conference centres and exhibition halls, including for the purposes of business events (subject to the capacity limits set out below)
Indoor events and remaining outdoor events, such as elite sports, business events, cinemas and live performance events will also be permitted. Attendance at these events will be restricted to 50% of capacity up to 1,000 people for indoor events, and 50% of capacity up to 4,000 people for outdoor events.
Remaining holiday accommodation can reopen, as can saunas and steam rooms. Indoor team sport and group exercise classes will return.
No earlier than 21 June - (Step 4)
In Step 4 we hope to reopen remaining settings such as nightclubs and adult entertainment venues, and to lift the restrictions on social contact and large events.
Scotland
People across Scotland can make non-essential journeys in their local authority area from Friday 2 April when a requirement to Stay Local will replace the Stay at Home rule.
From Monday 5th April - Hairdressers, garden centres, car showrooms and forecourts, homeware stores and non-essential click and collect services will be able to open subject to enhanced safety measures including physical distancing, face coverings and pre-booking where appropriate.
More college students will be able to return to on-campus learning and 12-17 year-olds will be able to resume outdoor contact sports from this date.
Restrictions on non-essential travel across local authority boundaries will remain in place.
People must stay within their council area for non-essential shopping and should only travel to another area for essential shopping if there are no practical alternatives.
People should also continue to work from home where they can to prevent unnecessary contact that could risk transmission of the virus.
“The stay at home rule is being replaced by a requirement to stay local.
Wales
From Monday 12 April: if public health conditions permit, the following relaxations can go ahead:
travel restrictions within the UK and Common Travel Area will be lifted
full return to schools and further education settings
university campus’ can open for blended face-to-face and online learning for all students
all shops and close contact services can open
wedding venues will be able to let prospective clients view their premises by appointment only.
From Monday 26 April:
Outdoor attractions, including funfairs and theme parks, will be allowed to reopen
Outdoor hospitality can resume, including at cafes, pubs and restaurants. Indoor hospitality will remain closed except for takeaways.
From Monday 3 May:
Organised outdoor activities for adults for up to 30 people can again take place.
Weddings receptions can take place outdoors, but will also be limited to 30 people
From Monday 10 May:
Gyms, fitness facilities, leisure centres and swimming pools can reopen. This will include individual or one-to-one training, but not group exercise classes.
Extended household will be considered (an exclusive bubble of allow two households who can meet and have contact indoors)
Northern Ireland
From Thursday 1 April, the regulations will change to:
Permit ten people from two households to undertake outdoor sporting activities as defined in the regulations. This allows sports such as golf and tennis to resume from this date in small groups of individuals from two households, however club houses and sport facilities including changing rooms, showers, kitchens, meeting rooms must remain closed apart from essential toilet facilities.
Up to six people (including children) from two households may meet outdoors in a garden
Garden centres and plant nurseries can operate a contactless click and collect service.
From Monday 12 April - Increasing the numbers who can meet outdoors in a garden from six to ten (including children) from two households;
Sports training will resume by sports clubs affiliated with recognised Governing Bodies, in small groups of up to fifteen people but with all indoor spaces closed except for essential toilet facilities.
With the UK Government hoping to resume International leisure travel and reopen Hotels, hostels and B&Bs by May 17th, hopefully we will all be able meet up again soon!
