Lockdown Restrictions Ease – What we can do now

From today, lockdown restrictions ease as England moves on to step two of its roadmap to recovery. Here’s a full list of everything we can do now, including outdoor dining and pubs reopening, and non-essential retail resuming.

The government set out four key stages in their roadmap to lifting lockdown restrictions. This laid out the earliest possible dates for things to resume, providing a number of factors were met.

Brits are now ready to take the next stop to getting back to normality as businesses prepare to welcome back customers. For some, it will be the first time they open their doors in months.

Data shows that coronavirus levels are falling dramatically, meaning the country is able to progress and move forward. However, Prime Minister Boris Johnson has warned the public to behave responsibly. He does not want all the hard work and sacrifice over the past year to go to waste.

Some businesses took full advantage of the new rules, with pub gardens and hairdressers open from midnight. Some shops saw queues of people outside as shoppers were desperate to get shopping again.

The New Rules

Here are the rule changes in England, effective from today:

• All shops, including non-essential retail can reopen
• Personal care services, such as hairdressers and beauty salons can open
• Restaurants and pubs can serve food and alcohol to customers seated outside
• Leisure facilities, such as gyms and spas can open
• Outdoor attractions, such as zoos and theme parks can open
• Libraries and community centres can reopen
• Holidays in England can resume with stays in self contained accommodation. But only people from the same household are allowed
• Non-essential travel is allowed between England and Wales
• Weddings can have up to 15 guests, and 30 people can attend funerals
• Indoor children’s activities can resume
• Care home residents can have two visitors
• Driving lessons can restart, with tests resuming at a later date of 22 April

The ease of restrictions will come as a big relief to businesses keen to get their income back on track. And will be highly welcomed by people across the country who want to get back to enjoying going out, socialising with friends and seeing more loved ones.

Today marks the third time restrictions have eased since the country entered their third national lockdown on 6 January.

There is at least five weeks between each step on the government’s roadmap out of lockdown. Before progressing on to the next stage, the impact of changes on infection rates and hospital admissions is assessed. The next date for significant changes is 17 May.

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