English pubs, restaurants to reopen July 4 as lockdown eases

Coronavirus lockdown measures have been further eased in England, with pubs, restaurants, hotels, hairdressers and cinemas allowed to reopen on July 4, the government said on Tuesday.

The two-metre social distancing rule was also relaxed to "one metre plus", which was described by Prime Minister Boris Johnson as "one metre apart, plus mitigations which reduce the risk of transmission".

Mitigation included using face coverings and not sitting face-to-face - when within 2m of each other and "where it is possible to keep 2m apart, people should".

He added that two households would be be able to meet up, including overnight, "in any setting with social distancing measures, and that people can now enjoy staycations in England with the reopening of accommodation sites".

All venues allowed to open would be expected to collect and keep visitors' contact details, so they could be traced in the event of a fresh local outbreak of the virus. Theatres and concert halls would be also be able to reopen – but not host live performances, because of concerns including the risk that singing transmits the virus.

"In order to begin restoring the arts and cultural sector, some leisure facilities and tourist attractions may also reopen, if they can do so safely - this includes outdoor gyms and playgrounds, cinemas, museums, galleries, theme parks and arcades, as well as libraries, social clubs, places of worship and community centres," he told parliament.

To reduce the risk of transmission and a potential second spike in infections from a virus that has killed more than 430,000 people worldwide, "close proximity" venues such as nightclubs, soft-play areas, indoor gyms, swimming pools, water parks, bowling alleys and spas would stay closed.

The changes do not apply in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, which are all following different guidelines under devolved government regulations.

The British Retail Consortium welcomed the move saying the relaxation would support shops which have faced a slump in earnings after shuttering in late March when the government ordered its lockdown.

"The reopening of restaurants, bars and other services will also help encourage people back to our high streets. This is vital to reviving our town centres and we hope the public plays their part in supporting our local high streets. Every purchase we make is a shop helped and a job supported," said BRC chief executive Helen Dickinson.