Scotland will officially move to Phase 3 of the route map out of lockdown.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon announced earlier today that:-
From tomorrow (Friday 10 July), up to three households will be able to meet indoors for the first time – up to a maximum of eight people. Meanwhile, up to five different households to a maximum of 15 people will from tomorrow be able to meet outdoors.
A household can meet up to four other households per day in total. Two metre distancing between households should continue, with heightened hygiene measures to avoid creating bridges which allow the virus to spread.
Mandatory face coverings will be required in shops. Physical distancing of two metres remains the law, however on public transport and in retail settings exceptions will be allowed once appropriate mitigations are in place.
From Monday (13 July), organised outdoor play and contact sports can resume for children and young people under 18 (subject to guidance), non-essential shops inside shopping centres can re-open, and dental practices can see registered patients for ‘non-aerosol’ procedures.
From Wednesday (15 July), indoor restaurants, cafes and pubs will be able to re-open. Hospitality venues can be granted an exception to the 2-metre distancing requirement, however this requires mitigating measures in place such as clear information for customers, revised seating plans, and all hospitality venues are required to record contact details of customers to support Test and Protect.
All holiday accommodation can re-open from Wednesday, as well as the childcare sector, hairdressers and barbers. Museums, galleries, cinemas and libraries can also open from Wednesday, with strict physical distancing and for many of these facilities advanced ticketing will be required.
Places of worship can re-open from Wednesday for communal prayer, congregational service and contemplation with limited attendance numbers and physical distancing. Specific guidance is being finalised with faith communities. Restrictions on attendance at services and ceremonies for funerals, weddings and civil partnerships will be eased, although full-scale gatherings are still not permitted and some mitigation measures will remain.
Following the announcement the SLTA commented:
“Two boosts for Scotland’s pubs and bars in 24 hours is just what the sector needed to start the rebuilding of one of Scotland’s key industries and jobs providers.
The SLTA was waiting with baited breath on whether our pubs and bars would be given the green light to open up indoor areas following the delayed re-opening of outdoors areas and beer gardens. The First Minister’s announcement has cleared the way for the majority of premises to open their doors and welcome back customers, albeit in restricted numbers.
Yesterday’s announcement by the Chancellor to cut VAT on food and accommodation to 5%, and his “Eat Out to Help Out” initiative, coupled with today’s announcement from the First Minister, will mark the beginning of the recovery for the industry.”
However, the SLTA repeated its call that continuing ongoing support is also essential in the long term for the industry’s survival and for the protection of the jobs it provides.
“We cannot forget that it is estimated that nearly one-third of premises will either not be able to open at all or will not be viable even if they can open.
Customer confidence in returning to our pubs and bars will also be a crucial factor in the days and weeks ahead, and the SLTA is confident that the industry will adapt to provide the right environment for our customers to enjoy the pub and bar experience.
Our customers also have their part to play and the SLTA asks those who visit our pubs and bars to bear with us and comply with the necessary restrictions that are now in place. Visits to our pubs and bars will be different, but everything that can be done will be done to ensure your visit is just as enjoyable as before.”