Boris Johnson told MPs today [Tuesday] that the hospitality sector can reopen, but stipulated that new rules including table service only, as well as the collection of customers’ contact details, will be required by pubs and restaurants.
He told the Commons “I can tell the House that we will also reopen restaurants and pubs.
“All hospitality indoors will be limited to table service, and our guidance will encourage minimal staff and customer contact.
“We will ask businesses to help NHS Test and Trace respond to any local outbreaks by collecting contact details from customers, as happens in other countries, and we will work with the sector to make this manageable.”
He added that guidance for businesses will be published later today.
However, he refused to lift the ban on cricket .
When asked by Tunbridge Wells MP Greg Clark whether ‘our most socially distanced sport’ could commence, Mr Johnson said the problem with cricket is that ‘the ball is a natural vector of disease’.
The two-metre rule has also been reduced to ‘one metre plus’ from July 4.
Mr Johnson said: “Given the significant fall in the prevalence of the virus we can change the two-metre social distancing rule from July 4.”
He added: “Where it is possible to keep two metres apart, people should. But where it is not, we will advise people to keep a social distance of one metre-plus, meaning they should remain one metre apart while taking mitigations to reduce the risk of transmission.”
He also increased the number of households that can meet from one to two, but said this will no longer be enforced by legislation but by ‘guidance’.
He said: “From now on, we will ask people to follow guidance on social contact instead of legislation. In that spirit, we advise that from July 4, two households of any size should be able to meet in any setting inside or out.”
As well as pubs, hairdressers, cinemas and theatres will also be allowed to reopen, although there is still a ban on live performances.
Hotels can also take guests as long as ‘no more than two households stay together’.
