Advice for Businesses in England to Reopen Safely
Updated guidance has been published on how hairdressers, hotels, pubs and other businesses in England can reopen safely from 4 July. It includes advice to reconfigure seating, minimise self-service, cancel live acts and stagger arrivals.
Customers will be urged to book in advance, order online or through apps and not to lean on counters.
It comes after Boris Johnson announced sweeping changes to England’s lockdown, including a relaxing of the 2m rule.
Pubs, restaurants, cinemas and hairdressers are among the venues which will be allowed to reopen in ten days’ time.
The updated government guidance includes some general advice for all businesses as well as guidance for specific sectors. Businesses are advised to carry out a Covid-19 risk assessment to ensure the safety of their workplace and also develop cleaning and hygiene procedures.
Guidance for close contact services such as hairdressers says employees should wear a visor where it is not possible to maintain distance and customers could also be separated from each other by screens. Places like pubs, restaurants, hotels and hairdressers are asked to keep a temporary record of customers and visitors for 21 days, to support the test and trace system.
In the biggest easing of lockdown yet, Mr Johnson also said the 2m social-distancing rule will be replaced with a “one-metre plus” rule. This means people should stay at least 2m (6ft) apart where possible, but otherwise should remain at least 1m apart while taking steps to reduce the risk of transmission, such as wearing face coverings.
The 2m rule will remain in Scotland and Wales. In Northern Ireland, ministers have said social distancing of 1m is “safe and appropriate” for children at school.
Announcing the changes on Tuesday, Mr Johnson said the following venues will be able to reopen from 4 July:
> Pubs, bars and restaurants but only with a table service indoors, and owners will be asked to keep contact details of customers to help with contact tracing
> Hotels, holiday apartments, campsites and caravan parks but shared facilities must be cleaned properly
> Theatres and music halls but they will not be allowed to hold live performances
> In other changes weddings will be allowed to have 30 attendees, and places of worship will be allowed to hold services but singing will be banned
> Hair salons and barbers will be able to reopen but must have protective measures, such as visors, in place
> Libraries, community centres and bingo halls
> Cinemas, museums and galleries
> Funfairs, theme parks, adventure parks, amusement arcades, outdoor skating rinks and model villages
> Indoor attractions where animals are exhibited, such as at zoos, aquariums, farms, safari parks and wildlife centres
Some other venues will remain closed by law, including nightclubs, casinos, indoor play areas, nail bars and beauty salons, swimming pools and indoor gyms.
It comes as struggling retailers must pay their quarterly rent to landlords on Wednesday.