The Government has announced this evening that more businesses can re-open but that there will also be a series of tough new enforcement measures targeting the most serious breaches of social distancing restrictions including increased fines of up to £3,200 for those who repeatedly refuse to wear a face mask.
The plan set out in the ‘roadmap to recovery’ which was paused for two weeks will resume from today, Saturday 15th August in England – except for specific areas where local restrictions are in place (which, at the time of writing, includes Greater Manchester).
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- Indoor play and indoor soft play, bowling alleys, skating rinks and casinos will be permitted to reopen.
- Indoor theatres, music and performance venues will be able to reopen with socially distanced audiences
- Beauty salons, tattoo studios, spas and barbers across England will be able to offer all close contact services – including face treatments such as eyebrow threading, eyelash treatments and facials from August 15 under new guidance published by the Government. This follows a successful series of pilots and marks stage 4 of the government’s 5-stage roadmap for the return of professional performing arts.
- Wedding receptions in the form of a sit-down meal in a COVID-secure location for up to 30 guests will now be permitted.
- The piloting of a small number of sporting events to test the safe return of spectators will resume from August 15 with a view to reopening competition venues for sports fans, with social distancing measures in place from 1 October. This will commence with the final of the World Snooker Championship at Sheffield’s Crucible Theatre during 15-16 August, with a full pilot programme to follow.
- A number of pilots will now take place at event venues across the country to help plan how best to restart indoor business events and implement social distancing practices. Business events and conferences will be permitted to resume from 1 October provided rates of infection remain at current levels.
For more information about this latest announcement see the official government website HERE
