U
K Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Monday announced that England will begin the next phase of reopening next week, including casinos. Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon confirmed at a Scottish Government coronavirus briefing Tuesday that most of Scotland will move to Level 2 of Covid-19 restrictions on Monday, which also includes casino reopenings.
Starting May 17, a number of indoor entertainment and attractions will reopen to the public in England, with some COVID-19 measures in place, including casinos, cinemas, theaters, concert halls, bowling alleys, amusement arcades, museums and children’s indoor play areas. Indoor hospitality venues will also open their doors, including restaurants, bars and cafes.
Individuals in England will be allowed to attend indoor and outdoor events, including live performances and sporting and business events, with attendance caps determined based on the venue type, The Hill reports.
Additionally, Johnson announced that up to six people, or two households, will be allowed to socialize indoors. He also increased the limit for outdoor gatherings to 30 people. The PM also eased restrictions on travel, allowing individuals traveling within Britain to plan overnight stays, and eliminating the reason requirement that is in place for international travel.
“This unlocking amounts to a very considerable step on the road back to normality and I am confident that we will be able to go further,” Johnson said. He added the U.K. is on track to enter the next phase of reopening on June 21, subject to the impact of step three on the data.
As for Scotland, Nicola Sturgeon announced changes on Tuesday, ahead of them coming into effect from May 17. All leisure and entertainment businesses will reopen next Monday, including casinos, tourist accommodation, gyms and leisure centers, visitor attractions, public buildings, cinemas, and theatres.
Travel across Scotland and into the rest of the UK is allowed with weddings and funerals with up to 50 people. Moray will remain in Level 3 – where cafes and pubs are open along with tourist accommodation – following a surge in cases and an increase in hospital admissions.
In the rest of the country, four people from two households will be able to meet indoors, six people from three households will be able to meet in a hospitality venue and eight people from eight houses will meet outdoors.
The “huge success” of the vaccination programme along with compliance with restrictions has meant Scotland’s coronavirus figures have continued to fall, Sturgeon has said.
