Pubs, restaurants and hotels to reopen as England eases social distancing

Millions of people in Britain will be able to go to the pub, visit a movie theatre, get a haircut or attend a religious service starting July 4, in a major loosening of coronavirus lockdown restrictions. 

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said on Tuesday pubs, restaurants and hotels could reopen in England early next month.

In other signs of a gradual return to normal life, tourist attractions like theme parks will also open again, but nightclubs, indoor gyms and swimming pools will have to stay closed.

Starting July 4, places of worship will be allowed to hold services, though singing by choirs and congregations remains banned since it could transmit the virus.

For the same reason, live music and theatre performances are still off-limits.

Johnson has been under pressure from businesses, especially in the hospitality sector, and from members of his governing Conservative Party to relax the lockdown, but until now he had resisted for fear of prompting a second wave.

On Tuesday, he said with infection rates falling and little current threat of a second wave of Covid-19 cases, he could reopen swathes of the economy and try to get life in England back to something like normal.

The government's decision will help thaw a British economy that has been in deep freeze since March, when a nationwide lockdown was imposed to slow the spread of the virus.

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Change in social distancing measures

By relaxing the rule on social distancing from two metres to one metre-plus, with the 'plus' meaning measures like wearing masks and using protective screens, Johnson said many businesses could reopen from July 4.

"Today we can say that our long, national hibernation is beginning to come to an end," he told parliament.

"All hospitality indoors will be limited to table service and our guidance will encourage minimal staff and customer contact."

He encouraged people to return to England's pubs, but said they should act responsibly and that those enjoying the British tradition of a pint should give their names on arrival.

The changes will allow two households to meet in any setting and all schools will reopen in September, he said, adding that laws specifying social contact would be replaced with the new guidance.

The measures announced by Johnson apply only in England. Other parts of the UK — Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland — are all following slightly different lockdown plans.

'Consumer confidence needed'

Business cautiously welcomed the measures. Adam Marshall, director general of the British Chambers of Commerce, said, "We are still a long way from business as usual. Broader efforts to boost business and consumer confidence will still be needed to help firms trade their way out of this crisis."

Britain has one of the highest death tolls in the world from Covid-19, but the number of cases has been steadily falling. Health officials on Monday reported just 15 new deaths, the lowest rise since mid-March.

The daily tally of deaths peaked in April, when the toll exceeded 1,000 in nine days.

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Johnson said not all restrictions could be lifted at once and people would need to stay vigilant. He cautioned that lockdown measures might need to be reintroduced if there were a second spike.