Coronavirus: Pubs set to reopen next month as 2m distancing rule relaxed

Prime minister Boris Johnson has said the current social distancing rules will be scrapped from next month in favour of a ‘one-metre plus’ rule, which will also allow two housesholds to visit each other and stay overnight provided guidelines are adhered to.

The move comes as the government gives the green light to many more businesses to prepare for reopening from July 4, including campsites, hotels and churches.

Johnson said that this plan ”should be positive for business in the important sense that it combines reopening with the right degree of caution.”

Under new ‘Covid-secure’ guidelines which will include 39 possible steps fore reopening businesses to adhere to, businesses which are not able to operate with 2-metre distance will be able to operate under ‘one-metre plus’ rules, which will include measures such as protective screens and face coverings.

Johnson said that regional flare-ups under these relaxed guidelines were expected, but that he would “not hesitate to put on the handbrake and reverse these measures at local or national level” if the overall coronavirus transmission rate began to rise again.

Trade union Usdaw has called for two-metre distancing to be maintained in shops.

General secretary Paddy Lillis said: “Reducing the two-metre rule in stores could be disastrous for our members and send a message to the public that social distancing is over.

“It has taken a lot of hard work and effort to make the changes to encourage customers to follow two-metre distancing in shops that stayed open throughout the lockdown.

”Non-essential retailers have also redesigned their stores on the basis of two-metre social distancing for their reopening. Changing the rules would be an unnecessary burden on business, compromise the safety of staff and customers, and create confusion.” 

British Retail Consortium chief executive Helen Dickinson said: “We welcome the Prime Minister’s announcement that the social distancing limit will be reduced to one metre from 4th July. This brings the UK in line with the WHO safety guidance. Retailers have worked hard to effectively implement social distancing measures during the pandemic and the safety of staff and customers will continue to be their main priority. The reduction will support shops, which have faced limits to footfall - and therefore spending - as a result of the distancing measures.
 
“The reopening of restaurants, bars and other services will also help encourage people back to our high streets. This is vital to reviving our town centres and we hope the public plays their part in supporting our local high streets. Every purchase we make is a shop helped and a job supported.”