Brits can start planning staycations today as hotels and B&Bs will reopen from July 4 – but campers need to wait longer

BRITS can start planning staycations from today as hotels and B&Bs will reopen from July 4 – but campers will have to wait longer.

For the first time since March, those in need of a holiday will be allowed to leave their homes and stay overnight as the hospitality industry prepares to kick back into action.

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Brits can finally go on holiday within the UK for the first time since MarchCredit: Alamy

The reopening of hotels and holiday parks could see Brits enjoy trips to places like Brighton beachCredit: Alamy Live News

Hotels, B&Bs and holiday lets are expected to reopen from July 4 and people will be allowed to travel to their second homes to stay overnight.

But campsites will have to wait longer before they are allowed to reopen because of the risk of shared washing facillities.

The news has been welcomed by the £130 billion-a-year domestic tourism industry which has been crippled by the coronavirus pandemic.

Campsites, holiday parks and hotels have closed across the country, with 80 per cent of the hospitality industry currently furloughed.

The announcement is part of Boris Johnson’s plan to unlock lockdown Britain and officials are still ironing out the details.

Cabinet will meet at 10am on Tuesday to rubber-stamp the plan.

Mr Johnson will then make a formal announcement in the Commons at lunchtime.

He will cut the social distancing rule from two metres to one metre to give the hospitality and tourism industries a boost.

New guidelines are said to be sent to tourism industry chiefs by the end of next week.

Cornwall Council said the estimated loss to the tourism sector in the county will be £630 million to the end of June.

Malcolm Bell, chief executive of Visit Cornwall, said if tourism and hospitality businesses could re-open safely, they should.

“There are tens of thousands of jobs at risk here, as well as the supply chain,” he said.

“When it is one of the bedrocks of your economy you do need to get it going to help the rest of the economy.”

He said hotels, campsites and holiday parks would most likely re-open with reduced capacity.

“Our message to people is plan and book for a safe and great holiday,” he said.

Downing Street also confirmed that cinemas, museums and art galleries will be among venues allowed to reopen from July 4.

They will need to implement one-way systems, spaced queueing, increased ventilation and pre-booked tickets.

The Government will amend licensing laws this week to let pubs, restaurants and cafes serve drinks outdoors.

It is understood it will also automatically allow any venue with an alcohol licence to serve their drinks to take away.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock also hinted that by the end of the month Britain will be in position to exempt those arriving from some European countries from the 14 day-quarantine rule.

The so-called “travel corridors” will enable UK holidaymakers to go on holiday without having to self-isolate on their return.

He said: “A lot of work is being done on travel corridors and we have a formal review date of the quarantine policy at the end of this month on the 29th of June.

“And we’ll make sure that, in good time for that, we publish what we plan to do next.”