Boris Johnson urges people to ‘behave responsibly’ as pubs open tomorrow
Boris Johnson has urged people to “behave responsibly” as thousands of pubs across England are set to open their doors tomorrow.
Covid restrictions will be eased for large parts of the economy tomorrow, with non-essential retail, hairdressers, beauty salons, gyms and outdoor hospitality allowed to reopen in London after four months of forced closure.
However, the British Beer and Pub Association has warned that just 40 per cent of pubs in England will be allowed to open due to social distancing requirements.
Hospitality venues can only have patrons outdoors until 17 May, with a maximum of six per a table.
In a statement released today, the Prime Minister said: “Today is a major step forward in our roadmap to freedom as venues such as shops, hairdressers, nail salons, outdoor attractions, and pubs and restaurants open once again.
“I’m sure it will be a huge relief for those business owners who have been closed for so long, and for everyone else it’s a chance to get back to doing some of the things we love and have missed.
“I urge everyone to continue to behave responsibly and remember ‘hands, face, space and fresh air’ to suppress Covid as we push on with our vaccination programme.”
It comes as the UK’s rate of Covid infections continues to plummet across the UK, with cases and deaths at their lowest point since last summer.
There have been 240 deaths in the past week, down from a peak seven-day average of around 1,400 in January.
The next stage of unlocking, on 17 May, will see hospitality venues open for indoor customers, along with theatres, museums, galleries and other indoor attractions allowed to open.