The government’s Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Secretary Oliver Dowden has today (Thursday 9th July) announced further lifting of COVID-19 restrictions, including changes for performers, venues, beauticians, sports and when indoor gyms might reopen.
Speaking from Number 10 Downing Street, Mr Dowden said that having ‘pressed pause on many of the things that brighten our lives’, ‘normal life is slowly returning’.
Slow return for culture
He said: “[…] as we’ve made huge progress against this disease, we’ve gradually seen the things we love return.
“Today, I’m very pleased to announce we can go a little bit further. As of this weekend, our artists, musicians and dancers can start performing live outside to audiences. We’ll also have the resumption of recreational sport, followed later by the reopening of our gyms, swimming pools and leisure centres.”
Mr Dowden said that from this weekend, people would be able to enjoy live performances in socially distanced outdoor settings – including theatre, opera, dance and music. He said that COVID safe measures – including reduced venue capacity and electronic ticketing to help test and trace – would have to be in place.
He added that the officials are looking in to what measures would be needed to make indoor performances safe, saying: “[…] while those outdoor performances get underway, we will be working with the public health experts to carefully pilot a number of indoor performances – from the London Symphony Orchestra at St Luke’s, to Butlins – to work out how we can confidently usher socially-distanced audiences indoors as soon as possible.”
Close-contact businesses
He also announced a boost for the beauty and personal care industry with beauticians, spas, tanning salons plus tattooists and other ‘close-contact services’ being able to re-open from Monday (13th July).
The secretary of state urged people to support their local cultural, leisure and tourism venues and businesses as they begin to reopen.
He said: “The Chancellor this week set out a bumper package of tourism and hospitality tax breaks, to get these industries firing on all cylinders once more and protect the millions of people who work for them.
“That means a VAT cut on everything from tickets to shows, theatres, amusement parks, museums and zoos. Lower costs for hotels, inns, caravan and campsites. Vouchers for food and non-alcoholic drinks.
“I’m urging the British people to make the most of this summer safely. We need them to support the places that we all love.”
Sport and fitness
Mr Dowden also announced changes affecting the nation’s sports and fitness activities. He said: “From this weekend onwards, millions of people will be able to rejoin their local sports teams as soon as their organisations publish approved guidance. Recreational cricket is back on this weekend. Five-a-side football, basketball, hockey and countless other sports will follow shortly after. From this Saturday, they’ll also be able to enjoy outdoor pools and waterparks.”
He revealed that the government plan to allow indoor gyms and swimming pools re-open from Saturday 25th July. He promised gyms the “certainty, clarity and time they need to reopen safely”, with measures such as booking systems, limited numbers, reduced class sizes, increased spacing of equipment and enhanced cleaning in place.
He urged people to follow the guidance sensibly, citing the surge and local lockdown in Leicester as a caution.
Mr Dowden said that: “[…] our fight began with a collective effort, and I really hope it will end with one. At the beginning, we all stayed home to protect the NHS and save lives.”
Now, he said, the British public have a new role to play to help the country recover – safely.
“It’s time to eat out to help out. To enjoy the arts to help out. And to work out to help out.”
Some of the changes
*Excerpt from ‘Coronavirus outbreak FAQs: what you can and can’t do’ from www.gov.uk
From 11 July:
- you can participate in team and other grassroots sports where the sports governing body has issued guidance on how to do so safely
- outdoor swimming pools and outdoor water parks can open
- outdoor performances in front of a live audience and indoor rehearsals can take place in COVID-19 secure venues. Indoor rehearsals and indoor performances for broadcast should only happen where no audience is present
- smaller-scale indoor performances can be piloted in COVID-19 Secure venues once approved by the government
From 13 July:
- close contact services, such as nail bars, salons, tanning booths, spas, massage parlours, tattoo parlours and body piercing studios, can open. Only services that do not involve work in the highest risk zone – directly in front of the face – should be made available to clients, in line with government guidance.
And from 25 July:
- sports facilities and venues, including such as indoor gyms, fitness and dance studios, indoor swimming pools and indoor water parks, will open – subject to evidence closer to the time
Excerpt from ‘Coronavirus outbreak FAQs: what you can and can’t do’ from www.gov.uk
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• Community Chat for south west Birmingham • Coronavirus support
• Community Classroom – Resources for parents & carers
• Community Together • Mental Health & Wellbeing through COVID-19
• Community Kindness • Positive acts during the COVID-19 outbreak
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• SWBrum Jobs Page
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