Wales set to welcome holidaymakers from 6 July as lockdown eases

Country’s five-mile travel restriction to be lifted in surprise announcement

This article titled “‘Stay local’ instruction in Wales could be lifted next month” was written by Steven Morris, for The Guardian on Friday 19th June 2020 15.34 UTC

The “stay local” instruction in Wales could be lifted next month, allowing more freedom for Welsh citizens to move around and clearing the way for the tourism industry to restart.

Mark Drakeford, the first minister, said the travel restriction would be lifted from 6 July as long as coronavirus was still under control at that point.

As part of the biggest easing of lockdown restrictions to date in Wales, the Welsh government announced on Friday that non-essential shops would be able to reopen on Monday if physical distancing could take place.

From Monday people will also be able to travel out of their local area on compassionate grounds, for instance to see someone at a care home or a youth offender institution. Drakeford also announced an easing of some restrictions on places of worship, the housing market, and outdoor sports.

The new rules and guidance include:

• The enabling of private prayer in places of worship where physical distancing is maintained and gatherings do not take place.

• Restarting the housing market by enabling house viewings to take place in vacant properties and house moves where a sale has been agreed but not yet completed.

• Lifting the restrictions on outdoor sports courts, but physical distancing must be maintained. No contact or team sports will be allowed.

• Enabling non-professional elite athletes, including Olympic and Paralympic hopefuls, to resume training.

The easing of travel restrictions on 6 July would mean that people who live in Wales and outside would be able to travel further afield and that those with a self-contained second home would be able to stay overnight.

Drakeford said the Welsh tourism industry should also prepare to take bookings for self-contained accommodation, with people possibly being allowed to arrive from 13 July.

He said: “I know the wider tourism industry is keen to reopen and to salvage some of this summer’s season. But I want people to know coronavirus has not gone away. We have some headroom to make this package of changes to the regulations, which will be introduced in a phased and cautious way in Wales.”

Drakeford acknowledged that some communities, especially in remote areas where there had been few coronavirus cases, would be worried at the prospect of visitors.

He said there would probably be local outbreaks. “It’s inevitable everywhere that as lockdown restrictions come to be lifted there will be local outbreaks. Our test, trace, protect system allows us to identify those really quickly and if we need to take local action then we are in a position to do that.”

Calling for people to shop in a responsible way, Drakeford said the scenes of shoppers collecting in crowds in England when non-essential shops reopened on Monday were “very distressing”.

The Welsh government promised to look at “personal care services”, including hairdressers and beauty salons, at the next review on 9 July. Drakeford said hairdressers should use the next three weeks to prepare for reopening by appointment only.

He said discussions would be held with the hospitality sector about the potential phased reopening of pubs, cafes and restaurants. The government was also looking at ways of allowing people to come together in “bubbles”.

The first minister said: “We are now making concerted steps to resume something approaching a new normal while living alongside coronavirus. This public health crisis is not yet over. Through all our efforts, we have succeeded in bringing the fire of coronavirus under control, but that fire is not out.”

Plaid Cymru called for the Welsh government to “plan further ahead” on easing restrictions. The shadow health minister, Rhun ap Iorwerth, said: “We’re moving in two- and three-week blocks here. People and businesses need to have a longer-term view, a kind of phased approach as seen in other countries, with dates set for likely changes – but obviously with caveats that things can change, depending on outbreaks and the R rate.”

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