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Shops can open their doors from Monday but pubs and hairdressers will not be able to reopen until July 4 “at the earliest”, the Business Secretary has said.
At Tuesday’s Downing Street briefing Alok Sharma confirmed that non-essential shops in England will be allowed to reopen from June 15 as long as they comply with coronavirus prevention measures.
He warned that enforcement notices can be issued if shops reopen without adhering to the guidelines, adding: “This is the latest step in the careful restarting of our economy and will enable high streets up and down the country to spring back to life.”
Today’s announcement came just hours after the Government scrapped the plans to get more primary school children back in class before September.
Mr Sharma faced a grilling over whether the Government would relax the two-metre social distancing rule to help pubs and restaurants reopen.
He said the Government would keep the rule under review but it would only change “when it is safe” to do so.
The Business Secretary also said pubs, bars, restaurants and hairdressers will not be able to reopen until July 4 “at the earliest”
He added: “Of course, there are businesses which still remain closed. As soon as we can we will publish further safer working guidance for restaurants, pubs and bars, as well as hairdressers, barbers, nail bars and related services.
“I know there’s been a lot of speculation about when we might be able to reopen these parts of the economy and I completely understand why we’re all so keen to get them back up and running, and I absolutely share that enthusiasm.
“But we continue to follow the road map which set out our ambition to reopen these sectors from July 4 at the earliest.”
Lockdown measures started to ease last week with outdoor markets and car showrooms allowed to open.
Last month Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced that all non-essential shops would be allowed to reopen in England from June 15, but warned that it was “contingent on progress in the fight against coronavirus”.
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