Everything you can and can't do in Sheffield from next Monday as PM confirms lockdown easing

Boris Johnson today announced that further restrictions would be lifted from April 12, as planned, as the Government continues to push ahead with its road map out of lockdown.

That means that:

Non-essential shops, personal care premises, such as hairdressers and nail salons, and public buildings, such as libraries and community centres, will be allowed to reopen.

Most outdoor attractions and settings, including zoos and theme parks, can reopen, although wider social contact rules will apply in these settings to prevent indoor mixing between different households.

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Drive-in cinemas and drive-in performances will be permitted.

Indoor leisure facilities, such as gyms and swimming pools, can also reopen - but only for use by people on their own or with their household.

Hospitality venues can serve people outdoors only. There will be no need for customers to order a substantial meal with alcohol, and no curfew - although customers must order, eat and drink while seated.

Self-contained accommodation, such as holiday lets, where indoor facilities are not shared with other households, can also reopen.

Domestic overnight stays wil be allowed, but only with one household.

Funerals can continue with up to 30 people, and the numbers able to attend weddings, receptions and commemorative events such as wakes will rise from six to 15.

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Care home residents will also be allowed a second regular indoor visitor with infants and children not counted as one of the two – meaning care home residents in England will be allowed to see small bubbles of loved ones for the first time in months.

All children’s activities, and indoor parent and child groups, with up to 15 parents, can resume.

Outdoor gatherings of either six people or two households have already been allowed since March 29, with outdoor sports facilities, including tennis and basketball courts, reopening too.

The stay at home order was lifted then, though people are still being told to work from home where possible.

The next phase in lockdown easing will happen on May 17, at the earliest, with gatherings of up to 30 people permitted outdoors; the rule of six people, or two households, applying indoors; and indoor hospitality, including pubs, restaurants and cinemas allowed to resume.

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That is also the earliest date international travel could be allowed.

But while Mr Boris Johnson said he is ‘hopeful’ holidays can resume from that date, he warned that the UK must be ‘realistic’ over the resumption of foreign holidays due to ‘a surge’ of coronavirus cases in popular destinations.

A Downing Street paper on easing coronavirus restrictions confirmed that a traffic light system for international travel will be introduced.

But it stated that it is not known when trips could resume, and it advised consumers not to make bookings yet.

The fourth and final phase of lockdown easing is scheduled for June 21, when all legal limits on social contact will be lifted, nightclubs can reopen and larger events are able to resume.

Certain measures like masks, social distancing and regular testing may still be needed after this date.