News
The important dates for Manchester’s pubs, restaurants and other hospitality venues
Everything you need to know
Yesterday Boris Johnson outlined the details of his ‘roadmap out of lockdown’, which is set to be implemented in four stages.
The first stage will see schools reopen and limited social contact being allowed again, but then in the second stage we’ll start to see more movement, with plans to reopen large parts of the economy.
At this point we’ll finally be able to return to some of our favourite pubs, bars and restaurants, although there will still be some restrictions in place.
David Dixon / Geograph
This second step is expected to begin on April 12th as the lockdown easing continues in five-week intervals, with the whole process potentially stretching into June – by which point the prime minister says we should be back to ‘normal’.
Gyms, hairdressers, beauty salons, and non-essential shops will reopen in stage two, which will happen on April 12th at the earliest, as well as libraries, zoos, museums, theme parks, hotels, hostels, Airbnbs and self-catering holiday accommodation.
Pubs, restaurants and bars will also reopen in this stage, but for outdoor service only to begin with.
This means you can be in a group of up to six people – or a larger group from two different households – in an outside area like a beer garden or outdoor dining area.
Mr Johnson also confirmed unpopular rules like having to buy a ‘substantial meal’ with your pint and the 10pm curfew will be scrapped, but you will have to be sat to consume your food or drink.
Tattu
Stage three will happen no earlier than May 17th, with gatherings of up to 30 people outside allowed, the ‘rule of six’ introduced inside – meaning you can meet up to six mates inside the pub, or go for a meal inside – as well as large-scale sports events and performances returning.
This stage will see up to 30 people being able to meet outdoors, including in outside areas at pubs and restaurants, with indoor social mixing also allowed again – but only up to six people or two households.
Large-scale sporting events or performances can resume but with limited numbers to start with, as up to 1,000 people will be allowed indoors and up to 4,000 (or the venue being half full) allowed outside.
Bigger football stadiums will be able to allow up to 10,000 fans (or a quarter of capacity).
David Dixon / Geograph
Then the final stage, step four, will happen no earlier than June 21st, and will see all number limits on socialising removed, with nightclubs reopening, and international travel potentially resuming.
This will be the final step, with the prime minister saying he hopes this will be ‘irreversible’, and it will see the limit on the numbers of people that can mix indoors or outdoors removed.
All the dates are dependent on four tests being met, which are vaccination targets, the vaccine reducing hospitalisation and deaths, the pressure on the NHS easing, and new Covid variants not derailing the plans.
Any dates given are subject to these four tests being met.
Commuters could be facing the steepest rise in the cost of train travel in more than a decade just months after prices were already increased.
It has been predicted today that train prices across England and Wales could rise by nearly 5% before the New Year.
The 2021 rise in prices was delayed as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic when train travel was at an all-time low, however, tickets still saw a price rise of 2.6% in March.
Abhijit Tembhekar / Flickr
And this morning, the Retail Prices Index for July 2021 was confirmed as 3.8% by the Office for National Statistics, meaning passengers could see fares rise by 4.8% in 2022, which would be the largest hike since 2012.
This means that the cost of rail travel could increase twice within ten months, and would see a Manchester-Glasgow off-peak return rise by £6.30 to £94.90, according to Metro.
Though all hope isn’t yet gone – changes to the fares in 2022 are still yet to be confirmed.
Jon David Houghton / Wikimedia Commons
A Department for Transport spokesperson said: “No decision has been made on national rail fares.
“The government is considering a variety of options and we will announce our decision in due course.”
This news has come as train travel in Manchester and beyond is on the rise – earlier this month, we reported that zero cases of Covid were found in Manchester Piccadilly Train Station, despite thousands of commuters using the station’s services as offices reopen.
News
UK to welcome more than 20,000 refugees following the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan
Reports claim that a number of these refugees will be housed in hotels near Manchester Airport
Heroic school boy clears 18 tonnes of rubbish which had been fly-tipped along country road
Kind-hearted Mancunians thanked after charity receives huge donations for Afghan refugees
Manchester has a new Indian bottomless brunch with fizz and cocktails like mango mimosas
Americans are baffled at how far people actually walk in the UK
Train fares set to increase again in ‘biggest hike’ for a decade
