Restaurants and pubs to reopen on July 4 at ‘the very earliest’, says Dominic Raab

Ailis Brennan11 May 2020

Foreign secretary Dominic Raab has said that restaurants and pubs across the UK will not open until July 4 at “the very earliest”.

Following Boris Johnson’s speech last night, in which the prime minister detailed the phases in which the government plans to lift the coronavirus lockdown, Raab confirmed to Sky News this morning that July 4 is the conditional date for the hospitality sector to begin reopening.

"From 4 July, at the earliest, we'll look at other sectors and that will include hospitality, but it will also include personal care and people like hairdressers," said Raab.

The reopening of hospitality businesses was detailed as part of the third and final phase of the government’s proposed lockdown exit. The first will see those who can’t work at home “actively encouraged” to go back to work this week, while the second has plans for the partial reopening of schools from June 1, along with “the phased reopening of some shops”.

Boris Johnson had said in his speech on Sunday night that the third phase would begin “at the earliest by July, and subject to all these conditions and further scientific advice”, referring to a continued decrease in threat from the virus.

Restaurants, pubs and bars have been forcibly closed since March 20, when the prime minister announced he was “telling” such businesses to shut.

The closures have left the industry in an “utterly catastrophic” financial situation according to industry experts, which has lead to a #NationalTimeout campaign, calling on the government to agree to a nine-month rent-free period for all hospitality businesses.

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